Runaway
by SublimeEchos
Summary: Alex, a girl with mysterious powers finds herself in NYC hiding from the very people that killed her family. When she seeks refuge with the mutants of the city what will she find besides a new family? Will she lose it all again? Rated T for some language. RaphxOc
1. Chapter 1 : Starting Over

Ch.1 (A/N; this chapter is all back story, no turtles yet)

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><p>I was on a rooftop looking down at the city I came to know only 4 short months ago. It was dark and cold, the only light was emitting from the street lamps and the headlights of an occasional passing car. The chill of winter couldn't keep me away. I liked to watch the people on the streets, study them almost. It was a habit I picked up from living in Brazil, working at my uncles fruit stand.<p>

He'd say to me "Okay Al see if you can pick out the pocketers before they steal". At first I couldn't do it. They were too stealthy. As I grew older, around the age of 7 I could easily identify who was a thief. The reason my uncle had me do this was to be able to sense the wrong in people, to essentially protect me.

At the age of 9 my uncle and I moved to the United States, where he was born. North Dakota was our home for 7 long years before our house was ransacked and burned to the ground. My uncle died in the fire leaving me on my own. I came to New York by hopping train cars, all the way to the city. I never wanted to be found, I knew the people who burned my house to the ground would soon come for me after they realized I didn't die in the fire.

The reason they're after me you ask? Well to them I am everything they've studied and prepared for, hoping to use me to their advantage, as a weapon. Too bad for them I wasn't born in their lab, I am essentially a rouge, that's what they call me. I was born in Sicily, raised by my parents and my uncle. After spending 5 years on the island my parents forced my uncle to take me to the Americas, in fear that people would try and kill me for reasons I had no idea about, I was only 5. On the night I was leaving I watched as my parents were murdered by a group of men and a very large deformed figure, I couldn't understand what it was.

My uncle told me it was a mutant, the men had been genetically mutating animals and people to do their dirty work. Often the mutations would go wrong, leaving their mutated patients to be murdered in cold blood, or they'd get lucky and escape only to be hunted down for going rouge.. He told me that's why they were after me. I was somehow a rouge mutation gone wrong. I looked like a normal human being. Long brown hair, hazel eyes, white skin tone, I was human and not human at the same time.

As I grew up I started to understand why I was different.

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><p>When I turned 6 my uncle started training me in an old Japanese fighting art. When I became good, he gave me a weapon. I started off with the nagitana. A long staff with a curved blade at the end. It was very hard at first to use. It took me a whole year to master it. When I turned 8 my uncle gifted me with another weapon, the Nodachi. This was a long curved blade, at the time it was longer than me, and still is. I fell in love with it. I instantly knew that this was my weapon, my Nodachi.<p>

I trained everyday for three hours with my uncle, learning every move, every technique. When I turned 14 I designed a new look for my nagitana. I wanted to start carrying a weapon with me so I made the blade on the staff retractable. Then I managed to make the staff able to shrink two times its size in length by making the bottom hollow and making the top retractable. I was able to carry my staff with me with ease. It was small enough now to be slung around my back in its leather holder.

The next two years I spent understanding what was so special about me. You see, my mother was a test subject for another project these men were working on called project 87. They were injecting her with a special fluid. It wasn't mutagen it was something else. It made my mother stronger and over years she developed a power you could say. She could conjure up a storm or calm waves. Whatever they were injecting into my mother gave her influence over the elements.

My uncle said when I was born my parents had no idea the injections would be running through my blood too. At the age of 3 they found out I was gifted. Gifted with the same influence over elements as my mother. That's why the men came looking for me. When I turned 10 I discovered another gift. It was invisibility. This news shocked my uncle, my mother had only one gift, and I had two?

The night my house burned down I escaped using that gift. I slipped out the door unnoticed. I watched it burn for an hour, invisible to the men standing along side me. They were large, physically built. I assumed they were mutants only because some where more animal looking than others. One had very distinct horns protruding from his body, another had the head, arms and legs of a lion and was 8 foot tall. The next day I went through the rummage of the charred house and found my weapons, unburned to my luck, and left leaving the long train ride to NYC to mourn for my uncle. I picked the giant city because is drew me in, there were others like me there. I could feel it. I had only ever read about New York City in magazines and occasionally saw glimpses of it on TV. It was a great place to hide.

My Uncle told me once a very old friend of his lived there, but they had lost contact around the time I was born. He had a picture of the two together sitting on the old fireplace mantle. The man looked like he had some Japanese dissent. Right next to the picture of the two men was another picture of my uncles friend, except this picture, he was standing with his family, a baby girl and his wife.

I looked for the picture in the ashes of my house but they were destroyed. I had nothing but my remaining strength and my weapons to hold me together in New York.

Four months later here I am still trying to find my way.

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><p><strong>AN: This chapter is to understand where the character came from and how she got to NYC. If you want the turtles right away she meets them in chapter three. I updated this chapter a little towards the end, let me know what you think!(: (btw, can you guess who Alex's Uncle's friend was? ;) I tried to make it a little obvious with the pictures.)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2 : New Faces

Chapter 2.

Living in the city is nothing like living in North Dakota. North Dakota is so peaceful at night and when you drive down the roads you hardly ever see a passing car. This city never sleeps. There is always a constant jumble of yelling and car horns. Some nights when I'm out on the rooftops I'll lose myself in all the noise. The one thing that brings be back to reality is the stars. I'll just look up at the stars knowing that my family is up there somewhere looking down on me. Watching over me.

Every night I come up to the rooftops looking for an escape from boredom. I'll walk around until I see a gang or a predator trying to commit a crime and I'll stop them. I don't like taking the law into my own hands, I like entertaining myself with the criminals of the city. Being alone in a huge city really gets tiring after a while, and I've been restless for a fight. Tonight I'm circling around the TCRI building. I've been hearing a lot of talk on the streets about the upper levels of the building and I've been itching to find out what's going on up there.

Before I could get to the TCRI headquarters, I heard muffled voices in the alleyway below me. I walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down. I saw a young girl, maybe fourteen or fifteen underneath the body of a young male, probably nineteen. I saw stuff like this happen at least three times a week. It was disgusting. The young girls crying was muffled under the hand of the boy and her eyes pleaded for help. I jumped off the rooftops, easily landing on my feet a few yards behind the boy. I was expecting him to notice me but his focus was on the girl, he was unbuttoning her blouse, kissing her neck. Repulsed I took out my staff and walked up behind him. I lifted the staff putting all my strength into my swing. As I swung my bow extended to it's full length from the force and struck the boy at his side. He went flying into the brick wall beside where he previously crouched over the young girl. "What the fuck?" he said getting up clutching his side where my bow staff had met him just a minute before. He looked at the girl then to me, his eyes widening with fear. I was taken back by his facial expression, but then realized I had a six foot staff in my hand and an equally long sword on my back. I was pretty frightening at a glance.

"If I ever see you again I'll do more than just knock you into a brick wall." I said almost whispering, my voice sounding disgusted. Without looking back at the girl he took off. I frowned at this, I wanted someone to put up a fight for once.

I felt a small hand on my shoulder and as I turned around I was pulled into an embrace. "Thank you" the young girl whispered into my ear, still crying. "lets get you home" I said as I guided her out of the alley. I walked her home making sure first that my weapons were invisible.

I got about three rooftops away from the girls building before I realized I was being followed. I could sense that whoever it was had good intentions.

"WAIT UP!" the voice came from a teenage boy. I turned slowly taking him all in. he had very dark hair and had two hockey sticks and a lone baseball bat strapped to his back. Pushed up on his head was a hockey mask that had a skull painted on it. His appearance screamed intimidating but I was not so easily frightened by appearances.

"Why are you following me?" I asked sharply looking him dead in the eye.

"You saved my little sister, she told me everything...I just wanted to say thank you."

"You don't owe me any thanks, it's just what I do." I said uninterested in what he had to say. I broke off eye contact waiting for him to take a hint and go away but he just kept talking.

"The name's Casey Jones."

"Alex" I said back still trying to look uninterested.

As he continued to talk I tuned him out. It was strange standing with another human being on the rooftops, the only place I'd ever been alone before now. maybe this is what I needed, a friend for once. When I tuned him back in he was still talking.

"If you're not doing anything later you should totally stop by the old hockey rink, me and a friend are hanging out there soon."

Seeing an open door I took him up on his offer. "Sure, i'll meet you guys there soon." I said.

"Cool, Cya then Al."

I was frozen for a second, the only other person who ever called me Al was my uncle, I smiled at his memory.

I walked back to my apartment and took a brisk shower. I changed into my blue jeans and a hoodie. I looked down at my sword and staff laying out across my couch and I decided to take them with me too. I put on my jacket and my high-top converse, slinging my sword and staff around my back. As I opened the door I reached back to my weapons making them invisible at my touch.

The hockey rink was incredibly easy to find. I was only a few blocks down from my apartment. As I pushed open the back doors I heard yelling and laughing, a girls laugh. as I walked around towards the ice rink I saw a girl, my age with red hair grabbing onto to Casey with her life. She didn't look like she knew how to skate at all. "Hey guys!" I said cheerfully. Casey looked at me first.

"I was starting to think you weren't gonna show up Al"

The redhead spoke up, sliding over to me from the ice. "Hi! I'm April, Casey told me about how you helped out his little sister!"

"It's nothing, really...My Name's Alex by the way." I said shaking her hand.

"Come skate with us!" April said as she pulled me onto the ice. I didn't even have skates on. I wasn't very good at skating. After a few minutes of trying to get my balance down I accidentally slid into Casey falling on top of him. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Casey!"

"No problem Al." He said as April helped me up laughing at us. When I looked back at him I could've swore I saw a little red in his cheeks.

After listening to Casey ramble on about how good he was at hockey, and falling down about a thousand times, we decided it was time for a break. As I stepped off of the rink the back doors busted open and twenty robot looking things poured in. Robots?! With guns?! What the hell was going on!

"Hide!" April said pushing me into the shadows as she pulled out a metal looking fan from her pocket and flung it at a robot, be-heading it. I looked around for Casey, but he was already beating the bots senseless with his hockey stick. I was more skilled in combat than these two put together, so why was I the one hiding in the shadows? I reached behind my back for my nodachi, it appeared in my hand on command as I sprang from the shadows striking the closet robot to me. When it fell I brain looking thing with tentacles sprung from it's stomach and ran away making the most god-awful noise, it made me want to gag. All to easily I sliced through the robots with no problem, after five minutes I realized April and Casey were staring at me, jaw dropped the entire time.

"Alex...Where'd you get that sword.." April said confused

"Where did these things come from, and what are they?" I asked ignoring April.

Realizing that I was just as stubborn as she was April relentlessly answered me. "They're kranng droids from the TCRI building. I think they came from another dimension and they're after me."

"Why are they after you" I asked

April sighed, then proceeded to tell me about how her mother was experimented on by the kraang and died after she was born and how her father was mutated. She also told me how she was given some sort of power from being half kraang half human, and that the kraang were hunting her down. I was surprised at how calm she was for someone who was at the center of a manhunt.

When she was done I decided to tell her and Casey about my life story. I told them about the group that experimented on my mom, and my parents and my uncle and the powers I have. I told them about my weapons and training with my uncle and the mutants that burned my old house down, who are now searching for me to kill me also.

When I finished, almost out of breath, April hugged me.

"Can I see your other power, you know the element one?"

"Sure." I said. I raised my hand to be palm up and a single snowflake appeared, I blew it out of my palm toward the ceiling and a few seconds later it started snowing softly. April and Casey both looked like children on Christmas morning.

"Alex, You're amazing!" Casey said almost yelling.

After explaining them how my invisibility worked with my weapons we all decided it was getting late and started to head home.

"Hey Alex! Wait up!" April said running to catch up with me after saying goodnight to Casey.

"I want you too meet me at Antonio's tomorrow, you know... The pizza place?" She smiled, "there are some friends of mine that I want you to meet"

"Sounds good. Meet you around 12?" I asked

"12 it is. Cya then!"

"Night April." I yelled as she jogged away.

That night I drifted off to sleep to the sound of the occasional passing cars and the buzz of the street lamp outside my window, wondering what tomorrow could possibly bring my way...


	3. Chapter 3 : Meeting the Turtles

Chapter 3.

I woke up late the next morning, around 11. I quickly showered and threw on an old pair of jeans and one of my old softball hoodies from my old school. I didn't attend school anymore, I mean hey...I didn't really need to. Being hunted down prevented me from getting involved with the public in any way. I had to stay low. I walked out the door grabbing my sword and staff and slinging them around my back. Every time I leave the house I always turn my weapons invisible. It has become a habit for me. Imagine how people would react if they saw a sixteen year old girl walking down the street with a six foot sword strapped to her back. I'd probably be sent straight to prison.

It took me about six minutes to walk from my apartment to Antonio's pizza place. The smell of pizza was overwhelming and it made my stomach growl. I hadn't eaten anything since I woke up. Right before I got to the door April came out carrying three large pizzas. I wondered how she was able to balance them all.

"Hey April, want some help?" I asked laughing.

"Please, my arm is killing me!"

I grabbed two of the boxes as April protested saying that I only had to carry one. After a minute she decided it was probably a good thing I grabbed two because I was more physically built than her. Even though the pizza didn't even weigh that much.

"So where are we meeting your friends?" I asked wondering why they couldn't just meet us at Antonio's.

"You'll see" She said smirking at me. I hated that smirk, she was up to something.

April led me around a corner into an alley-way with a dead end. I was super confused at this point.

"Okay April, you better start telling me something...What's going on, where are your friends?" I asked kind of getting annoyed. I had only known April for one day, not even. Could I trust her?

"Just follow me, you'll see" She said as she proceeded to set the box down uncovered the manhole that led into the sewers. At this point I was bewildered.

"What the hell April! You can't just go crawling into the sewers, what is wrong with you!" I said yelling at her.

"Oh don't be a baby Alex. It's not that bad"

"Oh really? because this seems like a scene from a movie where the killer leads their victim down into the sewers to KILL them April!" I said yelling louder than I did before. I got only a few stray glances from the sidewalk.

"Oh my god. Alex, listen to me. I'm not a murderer. This is where my friends live." Seeing the look on my face when she said her friends lived in the sewers, she added "You'll understand later, Come on they're probably hungry!" She then disappeared into the sewers leaving me to make the choice.

I decided I could easily protect myself against these people if they were actually going to try something so I slid down the ladder holding the boxes and caught up to April who was waiting a few yards away.

"Took you long enough" she said smiling.

We walked through the sewers for what felt like a half hour. I really couldn't tell if April was trying to trip me out or what, were my first friends really going to be a bunch of social rejects who lived in the sewers?

I finally spoke up after the long silence. "What if they don't like me April, I'm so different..."

She stopped and turned to me, I couldn't read her face but she seemed sincere. "They're going to love you Alex. Well I don't know about one of them but he really doesn't like anything." She said with a laugh at the end.

Up ahead I saw a faint glow and made the conclusion that we finally made it to where Aprils friends lived. I was so nervous to meet them. She told me they were all guys and that made me more nervous. I had never actually been around any other guys in my life besides my uncle and my father, and also Casey if you want to count one night. The thought made me shiver. It was time to let go of my past for a moment and start a clean slate with all new people.

"Okay listen, before we go in I just don't want you to freak out."

"Why would I-"

Before I could get my answer I voice echoed through the tunnel and I heard footsteps. It was only one set of footsteps.

"Here comes Mikey" April said under her breath.

"HEY APRIL, did you get our pizza!?" Shouted the voice. He never came out of the shadows long enough for me to see him before April said yes and he ran back to wherever he came from. I could hear him yelling still.

"Okay so they're kind of mutants" April blurted out, talking fast.

I wanted to scream but I kept my cool. "Um, what did you just say?"

"My Friends, they're...mutants, but don't worry they're-"

"I swear to god April you pick the worst times to tell me things" I said as I drew my staff sending it to it's full six feet. "It's not my fault if I kill one of them"

I started walking toward the light at the end of the tunnel, never looking back at April. I was so taken over with anger just by the word mutant. Mutants killed my family, how could these mutants be anything but killers. I kept walking my pace speeding up as I heard voices. Suddenly something launched at me, It was April. She knocked me over forcing me to let go of my staff.

"April what the fuck! how could you bring me down here to the very things that killed my family!?"

"Alex I'm sorry, but these guys are different, they're kind, and sweet, and funny...please just give them a chance."

I hesitated, glancing over at my staff, I could either knock April over and lunge for my staff or I could go invisible and leave the sewers unnoticed. before I could make my decision I realized my staff was gone, and now in the hands of a giant turtle. For being a turtle he had the body of an average teenage boy, except much more built. the thing that stood out to me the most was his overwhelming blue eyes. "Did I miss something?"

April got up, reluctantly trusting me enough around the mutant. "No Mikey. You didn't miss anything, this is Alex." he looked confused. "Remember the girl I told you about on the phone?"

"Oh Yeah! Sup Alex, I'm Mikey."

"Um Hi Mik-" Before I could finish I was cut off by a bear hug. It froze me where I stood and totally caught me off guard. At first I tensed up, then relaxed as he let go.

"Mikey grab the pizza and we'll introduce Alex to the rest of your brothers." Mikey obediently grabbed the boxes and led us into where he came from before. it was a large opening that almost resembled a living room. It had a TV and a couch and rooms that split off of it. Plus it didn't smell as bad in this part of the sewers.

"GUYS GET OUT HERE, APRIL BROUGHT HER FRIEND" Yelled Mikey. He immediately walked over to the couch, sat down and started eating.

"he has a short attention span" April whispered to me.

From out of what I assumed to be the kitchen a taller turtle appeared, looking almost older than the last. He had twin katanas on his back which I kept my eyes on for a split second. "Hey Alex, I'm Leonardo but please, Leo's fine" he said giving me a warm smile. He also had blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you Leo" I said giving him a smile back.

"The pizza's on the couch" said April realizing Leo hadn't planned on saying much. It was much easier meeting them one by one than all at once. It made me feel more at ease. Still I wondered why they carried weapons. When I asked April she said that they were sort of vigilantes. They helped the city. They only went out at night though. "Why haven't I ever seen them before then, I'm always out at night?" I asked. "You've probably seen them but they just move to fast for you to even register them as anything." April said.

"Come on, I've been wanting to introduce you to someone extra special." Said April sounding excited. She grabbed my wrist and led my through two large doors, inside looked like a laboratory, there were science posters and spare parts laying around, and on one table something was oozing out of a flask. The last place my eyes fell was on a desk, bent over the desk, looking hard at work was yet another turtle. How many of these things are there I though to myself.

"Donnie! She's here!"

As soon as April spoke the turtle looked up and stood to his full height. Has much taller than the last two I had met and instead of blue eyes he had a deep reddish brown tint to his. When he looked at me he smiled showing that there was a gap in his teeth. Maybe from some sort of accident? I thought.

"Hello April, and Alex." he said showing his smile again.

"I've heard a lot about you, April told me over the phone. You can call me Donnie."

"Oh...Hi Donnie." I said showing a little red in my cheeks.

"If you don't mind can I see what you did with the snow the other night?"

I nodded and reluctantly repeated the scene the other night at the hockey rink.

"Amazing!" Don said staring at the snowflakes in awe tapping a pencil against his chin.

"Alex you're truly gifted. If you don't mind I'd like to study your abilities a bit more. Maybe next time you come over?"

"Haha, Sure Donnie" I said gingerly.

As I turned to leave he stopped me. "Where'd you get that?" he said pointing to my staff. When Mikey gave me back my staff from earlier I must not have turned it back invisible.

"Oh this?" I took it out and stood it at it's full height. "My uncle gave it to me when I was younger, he trained me with this and my nodachi."

he looked confused when I mentioned my sword. I reached back revealing it at my touch and his eyes went wide.

"Alex I have a staff too" he walked over to his desk and lifted a wooden stick from where it rested on the wall. It felt nice to find someone to relate to.

"Oh my god Donnie, that's so cool!" I said as we stood our bow staffs side by side. His even had the retractable blade at the top.

We talked for another ten minutes about our training techniques before he told me he had to get back to work.

As I opened the door to leave he spoke up one last time.

"Hey Alex?"

"Yeah Don?" I said turning around

"Maybe sometime, we can train together. It'd be great to train with someone who has the same weapon as me" he said trying not to sound to excited.

"Sure, sounds like fun" I said as I smiled.

When I entered the living room April noticed my presence and got up off the couch. "Alex, It's getting close to 3 and I made plans with Casey. If you can find your way out you can stay if you want, who knows, maybe the grouch will show up..."

"No it's fine, I have to go anyway." I said realizing that I hadn't met the fourth and final brother. Before we could get to the tunnel a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"I had heard that April has brought a friend back to the lair, I did not realize that she would be a kunoichi" the voice said, he had a very prominent Japanese accent. As I turned to face the voice I realized it belonged to a giant rat. "Where did you obtain these weapons young one?"

"I used to train with my uncle when I was very young, But I haven't trained in a long time." I said looking up to him

"hmmm, perhaps you could visit us more often and you could pick up training with my sons?"

Even though I didn't really know them that well yet I took the offer.

"You may call me Splinter by the way, Alex"

"Nice to meet you Splinter" I said bowing to him as he did to me. My uncle used to make me do that before we would spar.

As I said goodbye I finally got out of the sewers and headed home. It was only 3:30 by the time I got home but April wore me out today. I decided to take a nap and sleep the rest of the day away. Night was my favorite anyways. And who knows, maybe I'd run into the turtles...

(A/N; I didn't put Raph in this chapter because I'm saving their first meeting for something different!)


	4. Chapter 4 : Number Four

Chapter four.

_ "Alex?" _

_I was in a dark room, I couldn't see anything around me except a faint orange glow coming from underneath the doorway._

_"Alex? Where are you?" _

_I felt the walls on either side of me, I was sitting in a corner with my knees pulled to my chest. "What is going on" I said to myself. I felt behind my back for my staff and sword but they were missing. I never left them out of sight..._

_"Alex!" _

_The voice was getting louder, it sounded familiar but it was too distorted for me to know who it was. Suddenly the door opened, shining light into the room I was in. I was my room, my old one. I could tell from the purple walls and the baby blue curtains that hung in front of the window. I got up clutching the wall for support, it felt like I couldn't breathe. Smoke rolled in the room choking me. I realized what the orange glow was. Fire. _

_Through the smoke came a figure. My uncle, but he was not my uncle at the same time. _

_"Alex, run." He said staggering. When he looked at me I could see his face. _

_His eyes were missing, replaced by black pits that stared right through me. His face was badly burned revealing the bone of his jaw, and some of his teeth. _

_"Uncle..." I whimpered. _

_"Go now or they'll kill you, run Alex!"_

_I quickly ran over to the window, still choking on the smoke and opened it. I climbed out just in time to watch the flames engulf my uncle, except instead of falling to the ground his body stood, just staring. _

_I let myself drop to the ground, going invisible and running off into the woods. I sat down and cried just holding myself. I could see the figures outside the house, some were mutants, some where people. _

_My whimpering caused a stray glance from one of the mutants. he turned to face me, his eyes were also pits and his body had spikes protruding from his back, arms and legs. Even through he couldn't see me, he knew I was there. When he turned his back to me there were bodiless heads skewered on his spikes. They were my parents._

I woke up crying, clutching so hard to my blanket that my knuckles were white. "Just a nightmare, calm down" I said to myself. These dreams happened regularly, often waking me up crying. I decided it was a good time to get up anyway and walked over to the window. It was dark out.

I looked down onto the city sidewalk just watching people for a few minutes. I was so alone in this huge city.

I put on a pair of skinny jeans with my typical hoodie and jacket. It was snowing out so tonight I wore a beanie and my combat boots. I usually never wore outfits like this in my old life, but I had to blend in here and this is what most people my age wore. I strapped my weapons to my back making sure they couldn't be seen. I opened up the window in the other room that led to the fire escape and climbed that up to the roof.

The snow was falling slowly tonight. It looked so pretty under the street lights.

I did my normal routine, circling around rooftops looking for trouble. It was surprisingly quiet tonight. I never really saw a lot of things happening anyway.

I jumped down into the streets. Maybe I should just walk around tonight.

To my surprise, Antonio's was open so I decided to go get a slice of pizza. The bell on the door dinged as I walked in getting the attention of the boy behind the counter. He was around my age and he looked like he was the only one working. Poor kid I thought to myself. This job must suck.

"Hi, can I get a slice of pepperoni?" I asked

"Sure thing!" He said as he disappeared into the back.

Five minutes later he returned with a warm slice of pizza. I paid him the money I owed and left. When I turned around to say thanks he was staring at me. When we made eye contact he quickly broke it. "Have a good night" he said speaking fast.

I sat down on a bench outside and devoured my pizza, I realized I was starving. I hadn't really eaten anything all day.

Suddenly a white van pulled up beside the bench where I sat. The back doors opened and two identical man jumped out and grabbed me by the arms.

"Hey! Let me go!" I said. I cursed at myself, If I had just stayed up on the roofs this wouldn't have happened. They threw me into the back of the van and it drove off. They tied my arms and legs up, also covering my mouth with tape. Thank god they couldn't see my weapons, I thought to myself.

My uncle told me once that there was always a way out of something. I tried to think of what I could do.

My thinking was over-run with questions that filled my head about where I was going and who these people were. Before I could even try anything there was a thud on the roof of the van. After a few seconds of silence the back doors of the van busted open and in swooped a dark figure. I couldn't get a good glance at him because one of the men's guns must've gotten knocked out of his grip and it went flying into my head.

Before I blacked out I felt strong arms around me, the van must've still been moving because the last thing I heard was the hum of the engine.

I woke up on the rooftops. It was still dark out and the chill of the falling snow stung my face.

I sat up, instantly regretting it, my head pounded making me groan in pain.

"Thank god" a voice said. "I thought for sure you were dead." I looked all around and I saw a figure standing on top of a billboard a few feet away from me.

"Who are you" I asked. "Who were those men.?"

"Those weren't men, they were kranng droids, oh and you're welcome by the way"

"I could've handled them on my own." I said

"Oh really? You looked so capable of doing that all tied up." The voice said harshly.

"If you hadn't barged in I could've saved myself!" I yelled accusingly.

The figure jumped from the billboard into the shadows beneath it. "I'm sure you could've totally saved yourself, no weapons or anything." he said sarcastically.

"Actually" I said reaching behind my back, "I do" My staff appeared in my hand and I lunged at the figure. My head pounded.

"Woah there tiger, You're gonna hurt yourself."

"Maybe you should watch our mouth before I shut it for you" I said, my vision blurring in and out.

I launched myself again this time making contact. I smiled, swinging again. This time my staff was ripped out of my hands and thrown across the roof.

"Not so tough without your stupid stick, are you." The voice said mockingly

"I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve" I said drawing my nodachi. This time he wouldn't disarm me.

I swung at him as he kicked at me and this went on for what felt like forever. We were equally matched in training. I was starting to get tired so I stopped going too easy on him. I tightened my grip and slashed my opponent at his elbow, this was a trick my uncle taught me for disarming your enemy. It worked. Two sias dropped to the ground.

"Not so tough without your stupid forks are you." I said the same tone from when he mocked me earlier

I hesitated for a moment, taking in my victory. I was off guard long enough for my legs to be kicked out from underneath me, everything faded to black again as my body went limp.

"Ugh, Not again!" The voice said. As arms tightened around me I felt myself being lifted off the ground.

I woke up in a vaguely familiar place. When I saw the science posters I knew exactly where I was, Donnie's lab.

"She's awake!" it was April.

"April? how did I get down here?" My head throbbed.

"Funny story actually..." She said looking uneasy

"You got into a fight with my brother" Said a voice, it was Donnie's.

"What? No I didn't? It wasn't Leo or Mikey..."

"I think you're forgetting someone." Donnie said smirking .

"Oh my god." I said

"He said you tried to kill him." Don was smiling.

"hah...yeah well he was being a real asshole."

"You'll get used to it after a while..." he said under his breath.

The doors opened up and Leo came in, behind him was Mickey.

"Hey Alex, Feeling any better" Mikey said with sad eyes.

"Uhh, My head still hurts, other than that I'm fine" I said giving him a warm smile.

"Alex, We're really sorry about Rahael." said Leo

"So that's his name..."

"From the looks of him, you put up a good fight." Said Leo smirking.

You could tell there was an undisputed rivalry going on between the two.

I gabbed my head, it was pounding again. "Hey Don, how long was I out for?"

"About three days."

"Three days!" I have to get back to my apartment!"

"I don't think you're going anywhere. You're still in bad condition, and we don't know why the kraang were after you so it's best you stay down here for a while, at least until we figure things out."

"You want me to live in the sewers?"

"Only until we figure out why the kraang were after you." Don said ending the conversation at that.

"Well if I'm staying down here at least let me get my clothes and stuff from my apartment..."

"Don't worry I already did." Said April

"But..." Donnie hesitated.

"What, what is it!?" I said.

"There isn't an extra room so you have to bunk with Raphael." Mikey said slurring his words from speaking so fast.

All three brothers looked uneasy.

"Fine but if you wake up one morning and he's dead you can't blame me" I said smirking.

Leo just laughed. "Don't worry Alex, you can have your revenge during training."

later that day

As I got up Donnie helped me. I felt so weak, Donnie said it was because I hadn't ate in so long, but right now I wasn't hungry. he walked me all the way to my new room, Raph's room. Luckily when I opened the door he wasn't there. Don helped me over to the makeshift bed the boys had made for me and helped me sit. "Thanks Don" I said.

"No problem" He smiled. "Oh and master Splinter told Raph that you're his responsibility, so if you need anything he has to listen to you." Donnie was laughing.

"This should be fun." I said

As Don turned to go I stopped him.

"Thanks again Don, You guys really are sweet and caring." I said giving him a warm smile.

He just nodded and turned back around to go, but he wasn't fast enough. I caught the pink in his cheeks.

Just as I was getting ready to go to bed, the door opened and I got a first look at the voice up on the rooftop. He was tall but not as tall as his brother Don. He was more physically built than his brothers and his eyes were bright green. Instead of a blue or purple cloth around his eyes, his was red.

He obviously had no idea I was rooming with him because I caught him off guard.

"Hey roomie!" I shouted at him smirking.

I heard laughing outside, it was his brothers. He looked at me with disgust. "Are you Kidding ME! I'm gonna KILL you guys!" He said slamming the door. He obviously had some anger issues.

I just laughed. As he calmed down I watched him as he got into bed.

"Keep looking at me like that and you wont wake up in the morning" he said harshly.

"Ha. Ha." I said sarcastically

When he was in bed he shut off the light and turned to face the wall so he wasn't looking at me.

"Night roomie" I said drifting off to sleep.

"Whatever" was all he said.


	5. Chapter 5 : Broken

Chapter Five.

I woke up crying, again. It was the same nightmare I had had before, only worse. I looked around for Raphael but he was already gone. "Thank god." I said out loud.

I smelled something cooking, it must be breakfast time. I decided to get up, when I stood everything went dizzy for a few seconds and I had to hold onto the side of the bed until I could see straight. I changed into a fresh pair of clothes, some jeans and a knit sweater. The floor of the lair was ice cold so I put on a pair of wool socks and slipped on a pair of boots that April brought from my apartment also. I walked over to the mirror beside Raph's bed. My hair was long, almost down to my waist and it was dull brown. I looked at my face, it was pale from the winter, along with the rest of my body. Faint freckles danced under my eyes and across my nose. My eyelashes were long and dark, they only brought out my hazel eyes more. Looking at me you'd see only a young innocent life.

What I would give to have a normal life.

I walked out the door shutting it behind me. The smell led me to the kitchen, I heard voices coming from inside. Naturally I lingered outside for a bit until going in. I was about to walk through the doorway before I stopped myself. I should just wait until they're done. I was walking away when I heard my name. No, they weren't calling me in to eat, they were talking about me.

"So Raph how do you like having a room mate?" Teased Leo.

"Shut up." mumbled Raph.

"Better get used to it, until we find out why the kraang were after her she's not leaving." Said Donnie

"Well you better hurry up Don, I'm already sick of bunking with a stupid orphan."

Those two words hit me hard.

"A stupid orphan?" I caught them all off guard. They all turned facing me in the doorway, except Raphael. He had his back to me.

"Is that really what you think of me as?" I said sounding hurt. Anger was rising inside of me.

"Have you ever watched as your family was murdered?! Have you ever seen the only place you called a home burn to the ground.." I had now raised my voice. I was staring at the back of Raphael's head.

"Maybe since you hate me so much you should've let me die on that roof! It's not like I have anything to live for anyway since I'm just a stupid orphan!" I was now yelling at him. All this rage and hate overwhelmed me.

The four brothers were silent. Donnie, Leo, and Mikey watched as I walked over to Raph. I put my mouth up to his ear, feeling his body tense up.

"Maybe, you should've just killed me when you had the chance." I whispered in his ear for only him to hear.

I then walked out of the kitchen and into the makeshift living room. I sat down on the couch and started to cry. Talking about my family hurt, and being alone in this stupid city hurt even worse.

I heard yelling coming from the kitchen, I didn't bother to listen to what was being said.

"Alex?" The voice came from Leo.

"I'm fine, just please, leave me alone."

"I'm sorry about Raphael, he's an idiot. You shouldn't listen to anything he says."

"He's right" I said

"Wha-"

I cut him off. "I am just a stupid orphan."

There was a long silence. Leo walked over to the couch and sat down next to me.

"Alex, you're not some stupid orphan, you're smart, and talented." He put his hand under my chin and raised my head to look at him. "And beautiful. Don't let words define you, you define yourself." He pulled me into a hug and I cried into his shoulder.

"It hurts being so alone Leo."

"You don't have to hurt anymore Alex, we're your family now." he said hugging me tighter.

We sat on the couch like that for a long time, he only got up to turn the tv on. When he sat back down he pulled me into his arms again and we watched space heroes for what felt like hours. He must've known every line of that show because I could hear him whispering the dialog to himself. This made me smile.

Leo told me about how he and his brothers and master Splinter were mutated, and he talked about how the kraang wanted to take over the world. Then we talked about training for a while and how he was the leader of the group, and how that spraked his rivalry with Raph.

I then told him about my family and what project 87 was, and how they experimented on my mother. I told him about my powers and about that night my house burned down and how I came to New York city.

After talking we sat in silence in each others company, it was the comfortable type of silence that puts you at peace and lets you relax.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden to your brother." I finally spoke up

"You're not a burden, he just cant control his temper and he can step out of line, don't worry about him." he said reassuring me.

"Leo..."

"Yeah Alex?"

"Thank you"

"Anytime" he said smiling.

Leo was the first person I had ever told my whole story to. Not even April knew everything.

Later that day around 10pm.

I had went the entire day not seeing Raph once. What had his brothers said to him? He could've apologized at least.

"Hey Alex!"

"What's up Mikey?"

"Leo told me to ask you if you wanted some fresh air."

"What?"

Mikey looked too excited. "Wanna go patrolling with us tonight?!"

I wanted to get out of the sewers so bad. "Yeah sounds like fun." I said smiling. Mikey ran off to tell the others I was going with them. I was still wearing the same clothes from earlier, I put on my jacket and beanie, I assumed it would be cold outside.

"Hey Alex, you'll be needing these if you're going with us" Said Donnie holding out my staff and sword. He looked uneasy.

"Don't worry Don, I'll be fine." I said taking my weapons and strapping them around my back. I realized I had been with out my weapons in five days.

As we walked down the tunnels to get to a manhole, I walked in-between Leo and Don. It seemed as if Donnie was trying to keep me away from the fourth turtle that trailed behind.

We climbed up the manhole one by one and got to the roofs. the cold chill of winter on my face made me smile. It felt like it had been so long since I had seen the city, but it was only five days.

"Okay." Leo said. We all looked at him. "Lets circle around TCRI and see what's up"

We all nodded in approval and proceeded to jump across the rooftops. My head started to pound from the physical stress and I stopped myself from jumping the roof. I fell to my knees clutching my head.

"Alex!" I heard Donnie yell, and in a flash he was by my side helping me up. "She can't go any farther. someone has to stay behind with her." he said.

"Okay, Mikey and Donnie come with me, Raph...You stay here."

"What!" Donnie and Raph yelled in unison.

"I need Don with me, and besides, she is your responsibility Raph, Sensei's orders" Leo said smirking.

Raph just stared at Leo with eyes full of rage. Leo knew that I wouldn't be able to make it all the way, this was his plan. He wanted Raph to have to suffer and apologize.

As Leo and the two other turtles ran off, I looked over at Raph who was sitting on the edge of a billboard sign. he looked defeated, as if fighting an internal war with himself.

"Raphael."

He looked up.

"Here's your chance." I said pushing my sword toward him. "Just kill me."

I had no intention of actually being killed that night, this was just a game.

He looked up at me with eyes filled with rage and sadness.

"Alex, I never meant to say those things."

"Well it's too late now isn't it"

"Alex..."

"I don't want to hear it."

Not another word was said.

My eyelids felt heavy, I must've fallen asleep on the rooftops. All I remember if the feeling of being carried back to the sewers.

It was still night when I woke back up, I looked up to see that I was alone. Raph must've carried me back. I got up to see if everyone was back yet.

Before I walked into the living room I heard voices. I peered into Mikey's room and he was fast asleep, Then I looked down the hall to see the door shut to Donnie's room. The voices were coming from Leo and Raph. I stayed in the shadows and listened.

"So did you apologize?"

"I tried but she rejected it"

"You have to try harder than that Raph!"

"I'm trying Leo" Raph sounded annoyed

"Raph, she's broken inside, and she needs someone. Master Splinter realized this and chose you to be that person."

"What happened to her Leo..."

Leo then repeated the story I told him to Raph. There was a long pause before either of them spoke again.

"Raph, don't cover up you're feelings with rage. I know you have a soft spot. Just take care of her, and be that person she needs right now."

"Leo I don't know, what if I end up like Don did with April." Raph was referring to the crush Donnie had on April, April had told me all about it. I couldn't imagine someone like Raph falling for anyone. He was so cold and distant.

"Maybe you already are like Don." said Leo laughing. "I see the way you look at her, under the rage there are feelings."

"What do you know."

"Um hello, Karai?"

"Oh yeah, almost forgot about that." Said Raph harshly.

"You'll see Raph...you'll see."

I saw Leo get up and walk towards his room, this meant Raph wasn't far behind. I ran back to our room quietly an got in bed quickly enough before Raph came in. I could feel him looking at me. He walked over to his bed and grabbed something off of it. It was a blanket, he must've noticed I didn't have one. He covered me with the warm blanket just like my uncle used to when I was little and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"I hope you can forgive me, Alex." he said and got up. I waited a few minutes before opening my eyes and looked around for him. He was on his bed fast asleep, his back was to me.

"I forgive you." I said, drifting off to sleep.

**(A/N: Two chapters in one day! Hope you liked them. :)Will Raph fall for Alex? Please read and review!)**


	6. Chapter 6 : Family

Chapter Six.

_"Alex..."_

_I was sitting in the corner of my room again. The faint orange glow kept creeping towards my doorway. I could smell the smoke, it was already beginning to fill my lungs._

_"Alex!" _

_A demented voice rang throughout my room. When I looked up I didn't see my uncle, or the mutants like I usually did when I had these nightmares. It was me. My face was bloody and my eyes were black pits. _

_"You better run Alex."_

_As I got up I started to panic. My window was no longer there. As the demented me reached for my arm I darted out of the room into the fiery hallway._

_"Alex! Run!"_

_This time I recognized the voice, it was my mothers. She stood in the middle of the hallway engulfed in flames. I ran to her but she was gone in the flash of an eye, only to be replaced by the mutant covered in spikes. For some reason I couldn't access my powers, so I stood defenseless against a giant murderous beast. He just looked at me with his black eyes and laughed. His laugh echoed all around me and I started to scream. _

_I closed my eyes to calm down and when I re-opened them I was in the woods. There was no more fire, or mutants. _

_I heard one of the tree branches above creak and I looked up. Tied up in the trees was everyone I had come to know, lifeless. April, Casey, the turtles and master splinter. I fell to my knees and started to cry. Why was this happening. Through the trees came the demented me from earlier, except this time she had my Nodachi in her hands. She knelt down next to me and whispered in my ear. _

_"Why didn't you just kill me when you had the chance...Alex." _

_She then raised the sword and it came down fast on top of me._

I woke up screaming before the dream could end. When I realized it was just another nightmare I started to cry. That was the worst one of them all.

"Hey are you okay?" A sleepy semi-agitated voice said from across the room. I forgot I had a roommate.

I didn't answer him.

He never bothered to say anything after that he just went back to sleep.

When Raph fell back asleep I decided to get up and go get a glass of water from the kitchen. Maybe it could help calm me down. When I walked into the kitchen the lights were already on and Master Splinter sat at the table.

"It is late Alex. Why are you not getting your rest?"

"I'm sorry sensei, it's just I 've been having these awful nightmares...I came out here to get a glass of water."

"Here have some tea, It will calm your senses."

I picked up a small mug from the counter and Splinter poured me some of his tea.

"So tell me, what are these nightmares about."

"They're always about my old house. I'm always inside while it's burning and someone, whether it's my family or not shows up all demented telling me to run. I always got out and ran into the woods and the dream ended there, but tonight was different..."

"How different?"

"Well when I ended up in the woods this time, everyone I ever knew was lifeless, hanging from the trees above me. Even you, master Splinter."

His eyes widened for a moment then he stroked his chin thinking about something.

"Perhaps, there is a block on your mind. My son Leonardo used to have nightmares also. So I taught him how to meditate and they began to fade away, maybe tomorrow you should ask if you can join him."

"Thanks Sensei."

"Now get some sleep, tomorrow will be your first day of training. Goodnight Alex."

"Goodnight" I said as I walked back to my room.

I got back into bed and fell back asleep. It only felt like I was asleep for maybe a good hour before I was woken up by someone nudging me.

"Come on, wake up."

It was Raph. I decided to pretend I was still sleeping just to get him mad. Master Splinter must've told him to wake me up for training.

"Wake up!" He was yelling nudging me harder. I just smiled.

"Go away. I'm tired." I said in a fake sleepy voice.

"No way! You're getting up right now!" he sounded angry.

When I didn't budge I could almost feel the heat rising off of him from his rage.

"THAT'S IT!" he walked to the other side of my bed, which was only two mattresses piled on top of one another. He picked up the side of the mattress forcing me to fall to the ground, and let it flip over on top of me.

"You'll regret that!" I said. I heard him laughing to himself as he left the room.

I changed into some of my Nike leggings and a tank top. I hadn't trained in so long, I was excited. When I walked into the training room no one even glanced at me, they were already training. Donnie and Raph were fighting and Leo and Mikey. How was this going to work? There were five of us now, I made the number uneven.

"Alex. Come sit." Said Splinter. "You will go against whoever wins first."

I watched as brother fought brother. Leo and Raph were obviously the most skilled, but Leo was more smart about his moves, where as Rahael was just brute force. I watched them spar for 10 minutes before Donnie's staff came flying in between Splinter and I. Don had lost, which meant my first opponent was Raph. He looked at me, still breathing hard from his fight with Don. I just gave him a smirk. "Just what I've been waiting for." I said.

I walked over to the wall where Splinter had hung my weapons. I grabbed my sword, walking up to Raph. He smirked back at me. "It should be fun kicking your ass again."

"I highly doubt that roomie." I said charging him. He easily dodged

"You're gonna have to do better than that." he said laughing. I just charged him again, this time instead of dodging he stood his ground holding out his sias waiting for me to connect with them. The connect never came. I ran at him and dug my sword into the ground, using it to vault over him. When I was mid-air behind him I extended my legs kicking his shell, which sent him flying. I was a little rusty but I warmed up to training quickly.

I landed the flip on my feet and ran to grab my sword. Raphael was on his feet quick, trying to figure out how I would attack next. His eyes followed me carefully. The last thing I did was smile at him before I went invisible. His eyes went from focused to worried within a matter of seconds. I ran straight for him. I hooked my arm around his neck, using it as a vantage point to swing up around onto his back. I held my sword to his neck, and then re-appeared. I heard clapping from the boys, who were now all watching, Leo was laughing.

"Well done, Alex. Perhaps you are a lot more talented than you claim to be. I want you to start training with Leonardo from now on since you have proved to be at a higher skill level than my son, Raphael." Splinter said sounding pleased.

"Now we're even." I whispered in his ear and hopped off his back. I hung my sword back up on the wall and went and sat next to Leo. When I looked at Raph he was already looking at me, he quickly broke off eye contact and left the room.

After five minutes of continuous compliments and bashing Raph, we all decided to go watch some TV. Of course the only thing we watched was space heroes, but it was nice hanging out with the boys.

I got bored of space heroes after the first half hour and went to go find something to do. I decided to go back to my room and change out of my training clothes. When I walked inside Raph was sitting on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He didn't even bother to look at me when I came in.

"Hey, good fight" I said trying to make things less awkward.

He never said anything back.

"Raphael! Look at me!" I said louder. He never looked.

"I never did anything to you! and this is what I get? Some bad tempered asshole who wont say a word to me?" Still he just kept starring up at the ceiling. He looked like he was struggling not to say something.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, defeated. We sat in silence for 10 minutes until I heard a shaky voice coming from Raph's bed.

"Alex..?"'

"What do you want."

"Have you ever...you know, loved someone?"

I was bewildered at this question. 'After all the things I said to you, this is the topic you want to bring up?!"

He stayed silent after my outburst. I got up to leave, when I got to the doorway I stopped myself, I could feel his eyes watching me. Not turning around to face him I spoke over my shoulder.

"Everyone I've ever loved is dead Raphael. I don't know what that is anymore."

"Alex... I-.." He stopped himself. I just continued walking out the door.

I ran down the hall into a stray tunnel and sat down. A single tear rolled down my cheek. I couldn't do this anymore. Maybe my nightmares were trying to send me a message. I was being hunted down, I was going to be killed either way, maybe I should've just let myself burn in that house. The tears started rolling down my cheeks in numbers now.

"Alex?"

"Go away.."

The voice did not listen, instead he sat down beside me.

"Alex it's getting late."

"So what."

"Fine, whatever." Raph said as he got up and walked away. I could tell he was trying to comfort me but he just wasn't that type of person. I gave him credit for trying.

That night I walked back into Raphs room and grabbed one of the daggers on his nightstand. I took the dagger in my hands and held it to my wrist. I wanted to die. I hated my life, being all alone. Something stopped me from pressing the dagger into my wrist. I sunk to the ground and started to cry. I pushed harder on the dagger watching blood appear. "It'll be over soon" I said to myself

"Alex, go to be- Alex!" Raph jumped off his bed and knocked the dagger out of my hands.

"Just let me do it! Please!" I cried.

Raph just held me as tight as he could in his arms and we sat on the ground like that until I gave up.

"Alex why would you even try that!? Are you nuts?"

"If you had seen the things I've seen you would want this too."

He picked me up and set me on his bed. He grabbed a blanket from the bed and ripped a piece off tying in around my cut. I watched him as he did this, he was so focused. He must've done this a thousand times when his brothers were injured. When he was done he looked at me with sad eyes.

"Please don't ever do that again." he said.

"Why you wouldn't want to take the blame since I'm your responsibility?" I shot at him.

"No! just shut up Alex. You don't get it..."

I gave up trying to fight him.

"Alex, you have a new family now whether you like it or not and you're not getting rid of us so easily." he said.

I smiled at this. Maybe that's why the dagger lingered so long on my wrist. Yeah I lost my family, but I also gained a new one.

I must've fallen asleep on Raph's bed, because when I woke up the next morning he was fast asleep on my bed across the room. I hopped off of his bed and walked over to him. There was still blood on the floor from last night. I sat down on the edge of my bed, looking at Raph. He looked so at peace.

"Thanks Raph." I said as I bent over and kissed his cheek.

Right before I walked out the door I looked back and him and there was a hint of red in his cheeks. I just laughed.

Raphael made me realize something last night. Family doesn't have to be your own blood, family can be four mutant turtles and a giant rat. I smiled at the thought as I walked to the kitchen. Maybe they weren't so bad after all.

**(Another chapter finished! I wont be able to update a lot this week because of school so be patient. Let me know what you think! :)Is Raph warming up to Alex finally? Read & Review!)**


	7. Chapter 7 : Two Months

Chapter seven.

Journal entry #7

_It's been two months since I moved in with the turtles. Don Can't seem to find a reason why the kraang were after me, it doesn't seem like he's in a rush to do so either. He's always hanging out with April. I think it's cute that Don likes her so much, I wish guys looked at me like they do April. I think Casey likes her too, but Casey needs someone more on edge than that._

_Ha, anyways I've been meditating with Leo a lot and my nightmares are starting to become less and less! Leo always tells me that I shouldn't focus on the past so much, but it's hard..._

_Every night we all go patrolling together, Me, Casey, Don, Leo, Mikey, and Raph. Sometimes we'll run into the kraang or the purple dragons and we tally how many we can take down. I'm right behind Leo who, of course is in the lead. After patrolling the guys always make me and Casey go get pizza for them and we take it back to the lair to celebrate. _

_I'm getting closer to Don, and Mikey, in fact Mikey is teaching me how to skateboard in our free time, and Don is letting me help him work on the shellraiser. It's starting to feel like I'm part of an actual family now..._

_Leo is still my favorite though. He's like the big brother I never had. He always tries to defend and protect me when we go patrolling and even during training. He's afraid I'll get hurt again, and he knows that I tried to commit suicide, Raphael told him. Ever since he found out we've been hanging out a lot more, sometimes it's just watching space heroes, other times we just train together. We talk a lot. He's the one I spend the majority of my time with._

_Raphael, well he's Raphael. He's starting to come around a little. The other day he sat next to me on the couch while we all had a movie night. I know that doesn't sound like anything big, but Raph's been making a point to stay away from me. The only time I ever am really around him is during training, and when we go to bed. Oh and yeah, we still share a room...boo. The other day I heard him talking to Casey in the living room and as soon as I walked in they stopped talking and avoided my eye contact. When we went patrolling I asked Casey about it but he said he had no idea what I was talking about._

_There's another person that's made a point to stay away from me, Casey. We used to always go down to the hockey rink and hangout. He even taught me how to play hockey, now it's like I don't even know him. I mean he'll still talk to me but the conversations are very limited. I need to know what's going on between him and Raph._

I heard footsteps coming down the hallway, I quickly closed my journal and shoved it in-between my mattresses. The footsteps came from Raph. He walked into the room not making eye contact, like usual. He probably just needed to grab something.

"Hey Raph" I said, making it known I was also in the room.

"Hey." He said blankly back.

A simple hey was all I got before he quickly found whatever he was looking for and left. All the other brothers were so nice to me and caring and sweet, but Raphael was cold, and distant. I was almost like a ghost to him. I think he gave up on the responsibility thing once he saw that Leo obviously was taking better care of me than he was. I feel like I'm overstaying my welcome a little because I'm still bunking in his room, he's make it quite obvious he wants me out and Leo even asked if I wanted to bunk with him for a while until something could be arranged.

Leo was sweet but I wasn't letting Raph get the upper hand that easy, he was stuck with me.

I waited a few minutes until after Raph left to get up and change my clothes. I changed into some leggings and a nice, warm flannel. I slipped on my boots and headed out the door. Waiting for me in the living room was April.

"Hey! April, what's up?"

She looked worried, like something big was on her mind.

"Alex! Come here right now, I need to talk to you."

I walked over to her and without warning she grabbed my wrist and darted out of the room dragging me with her. We wound up in one of the tunnels I had never seen before.

"Alex, have you ever liked someone?"

"What are you talking about April?"

"You know, like...like like someone?"

"Apri-"

"I think I like Donnie..." She said fast.

"April! Really! Oh my god you have to tell him, He totally likes you back!" I was squealing with excitement.

"Alex, I don't know. This is gonna change everything.."

"So what! Just go for it!"

"Are you sure?" April sounded like she was doubting herself.

"April, you should see the way he looks at you. Please just tell him, he'll be so happy."

"Okay, okay, I will tomorrow!" She said smiling. I was happy for her.

We walked back to the lair together talking about how she had liked Don for a while. Before we got back she stopped me.

"Alex, who do you like?"

"Is that a joke, No one."

"Come on, you've been down here for two whole months and no one has caught your eye?"

"Nope."

"Well from what I can tell you've got a few admirers..." She said devilishly.

"You're lying, we're all just good friends."

"Good friends? You should see the way they look at you Alex, I'm surprised they haven't fought over you yet!"

"What are you talking about April..."

"It's so obvious. Am I really the only one who notices anything around here?!"

I was silent, I couldn't think of one person around here who could actually have the slightest of feelings for me.

When the silence became too much for April she spoke again.

"Alex...Leo and Raph? Hello are you that blind?" she said waving her hand in front of my face.

"Leo?...and Raph? No April, You've got this all wrong. Leo is like my big brother, and Raph...He's so cold to me."

"Have you ever taking the time to wonder that maybe he's like that because you spend so much time with Leo? Come one Alex! Leo basically flaunts that he's closer to you than Raph right in front of him."

"Leonardo is not like that."

"The other night when we were all watching a movie together, Leo was sitting next to you, right before Raph walked in he put his arm around you, I bet you didn't even notice, You were asleep. Hah...You should've seen Raph, he was pissed." April seemed proud of herself for noticing this.

"Whatever April, you and your silly theories!" I said as I walked into the room.

"You'll see Alex!"

When I walked into the kitchen, there was only one other person in there, Leo...

"Hey Alex."

"Hey Leo."

I couldn't get what April said out of my head.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything!" He said

It took me a while to get out what I was trying to say. "Have you ever liked anyone, besides Karai?" He had told me all about Karai.

"Why would you care about something like that?" he looked puzzled.

"Tell her Leo" Came a voice from behind us. "I mean I'm surprised you haven't said anything yet!" The mocking voice came from Raph. Of course, here comes the Grinch to ruin things.

"Go away Raph." Leo said sounding annoyed

"Come on, let's hear it!" Raph shouted at him. He was being extremely hostile for not even being provoked at all, although he was always the one to start fights.

"I said go away!" Leo was trying to keep calm, but whatever Raph was up to he wasn't having it.

"Whatever, I'm out." I said as I walked out the door.

"Wait Alex...!" It was Leo. I never turned around. I heard Leo raise his voice to Raph and they were now physically fighting from what I could hear. This was so typical. They both wanted to be alpha, it was almost pathetic to watch. Right now I couldn't stand either of them. I needed to get away. I sat down on the couch and turned on space heroes, this would most likely attract Leo, since he couldn't get enough if it. Soon enough to my surprise the noise of the television attracted a turtle, but not the one I was expecting. It was Mikey. The only thing he said to me was "Sup." before he became engrossed in the show.

Later That Night. 

April showed back up at the lair with Casey around nine. We didn't go patrolling on weekends so those were our "family" Movie nights. April usually brought the movies, but tonight Casey picked. He brought a horror film. I was already haunted enough by my own dreams, this wasn't going to be good. Half-way through the movie it started getting scary for me. One scene made me jump, I was so terrified I grabbed onto Leo by instinct. I never moved from that spot, I was to comfortable. We must've all fallen asleep on the couches and the floors that night because when I woke up I was still holding onto Leo and he had his arms around me.

My eyesight was still a little blurry and I kept rubbing my eyes with my hands to make them focus. When I finally focused my eyes I looked around the room. Don was asleep...with April in his arms. She must've decided to tell him about her feelings early. My eyes shifted to the ground where Mikey was asleep on top of a mountain of pillows.

I heard a chuckle coming from the other couch. It was Casey.

"Morning Al." he said "Sleep good?" he was smiling, something was up.

"Ugh Casey, go make breakfast or something."

"I'm waiting for Raph to wake up, we train together early"

"I know Casey, I know. Go wake him up then." I said getting annoyed but at the same time keeping my voice low so I wouldn't wake Leo.

"why don't you just wake him up for me." He said smiling and laughing.

"What are you even saying Casey? I think you got up a little to early for your brain to function, oh wait, it never does anyway." I said snarkishly

"Hey, he probably doesn't want to be woken up anyway. Tell him I'll see him later, k Al?"

"Whatever Casey, bye."

What the hell, Casey was not right. Where was Raph anyway? I looked over to the loveseat, there was a hunched over figure still asleep on the cushions. I only assumed it was Raph.

I drifted back off to sleep in Leo's arms. God they were so strong, wait what? No I couldn't be thinking about that. I erased the though from my head.

Mikey was the first up. He proceeded to go around and wake everyone else up, starting with Don and April who were not to pleased to be woken. My eyes were already open when he made his way over to me and Leo. He took one look and the sleeping turtle holding me and turned around to go wake Raph. What was that all about. Was Leo not a morning person?

"Wake him up Mikey, We have training!" the voice was Don's. He and April and Mikey were circled around Raph.

"Wakey, Wakey!" Mikey whispered in his ear, then continued to poke the sleeping figure until he awoke.

The figure stirred, he was awake. "Hey guys, That time already?"

I almost drifted back asleep until it hit me. The voice I heard was not Raphael's, it was Leo's.

I froze, how did this happen. I thought Leo had sat down next to me last night. Was I really that stupid not to even look at him once?

I struggled to flip myself so I'd be facing the turtle. It took a few seconds but I finally turned around, his grip on me was tight. I looked up hoping my ears had deceived me, I was hoping for a blue mask but instead my eyes focused on the red. It was not Leo, it was Raphael.

I studied his face for a moment, he was smiling. He looked so at peace.

I must've moved around too much because his eyes were starting to flutter. When they opened I saw bright green eyes scanning the room, finally they looked down on me. I was bracing myself to be pushed off of his lap onto the hard floor, but instead I was greeted by his arms tightening around me.

"Morning roomie." He said with a warm half-smile.

**(A/N: ! I don't really have a lot of time to update during the weekdays, but I'm trying to get as much done as possible. Let me know what you think of this chapter. P.S. Who will Alex fall for?...(; Read & review!)**


	8. Chapter 8 : Old Enemy

Chapter Eight.

For the past week I could not get Raphael out of my head. Even during meditation with Leo I thought of him. I saw his eyes, how they opened with curiosity that morning I woke up in his arms on the couch. Those green eyes, so early in the morning were not filled with hatred and hostility, but warmth and gentleness. When he looked down at me in his arms my breathing faltered for a half second. I was expecting to be shoved onto the cold hard ground but instead I was held even tighter than before. There was something that burned brighter in me that morning, I could feel it. It wouldn't go away the whole day after that and it's still bothering me. It's a good feeling, but I've never experienced it before, and I don't like it. This is why I need some time topside to clear my mind.

After training I put on some warmer clothes and told the guys I was going to get some pizza for an early dinner, I just needed an excuse to go topside and let the city air fill my lungs and clear my thoughts.

"Alex, you really shouldn't be going alone." The voice came from Leo, he followed me into the tunnel. I knew he would do this.

"And why not, Leo."

"The kraang are still after you and we don't know why. It's not safe."

"Leo, I'm not your baby sister, I'm a kunoichi, I'm pretty sure I can handle myself." I tried to make my words sound as harsh as possible, and it worked. Leo was taken back by the words baby sister. From what April said he didn't think of me that way, but that's the only way I thought of him, as a big brother...nothing more.

"You are not leaving the lair, and that is final!" He said raising his voice.

"Aye Aye Captain." I said mockingly giving him a salute.

"Seriously Alex, I don't know what I'd- what we'd do if something happened to you."

"Leo, I'm going regardless of what you say or do."

"Well I guess I'll just have to follow you around all day so you can't leave." He said smirking at me.

I just shook my head and walked back into the lair. I couldn't make my escape now, but I could later when the guys went to bed. I decided to head back to my room, I should get some sleep if I was heading out after hours.

When I pushed open the door I realized the room was not empty, instead it was occupied by two turtles. Don and Raph.

"Hey guys." I said yawning trying to make it obvious I was going to take a nap and couldn't be bothered.

"Oh Hey Alex! What's up?" Said Don cheerfully. He'd become so much more happy and energetic since him and April finally became a thing. I was happy for him.

"I could ask you the same thing, what are you doing in here?"

"Just fixing up Raph's arm, Leo accidentally cut him during training after you had left."

"It was no accident, he did it on purpose..." Raph said under his breath.

I walked over to Doctor Don and his patient. Raph was badly cut, he was right, it was too deep to be an accident.

"But why would Leo purposely do this?.." I said running my fingers softly over the stitches Donnie had put in only a few moments ago.

"Why do you think." Raph said looking me in the eyes and then turning his gaze to my hand that was still resting on his arm. I quickly pulled away and stepped back. When I looked at Raph again he was already looking away.

Don continued to wrap up Raph's arm and told him that if he moved around to much the stitches would tear open.

"Alex, please make sure he doesn't tear those stitches open, they could get infected." He said giving me a half smile. On his way out he shut the door behind him.

"Well, you heard the Doc. No training or patrolling for a week." I said.

"Aww come on."

"So you want your arm to get infected and possibly be killed from it? Be my guest, that just means I finally get a whole room to myself." I said smiling. I plopped down on my bed and pulled a blanket over me.

"You'd like that wouldn't you." He said chuckling

"If it meant I didn't have to listen to you snoring every night, then yes, I'd love it." I looked over at him across the room from me, he matched my gaze. Our eyes interlocked for a few short seconds.

We laughed together for a few seconds and I started to doze off. Raph must've too because I could hear him snoring. When I woke back up it was 11:30 at night. Perfect, everyone was asleep. Even Raph was still sleeping.

I changed into my heavy jacket, and slipped on my combats. Before I got out the door I strapped my nodachi to me and put on a beanie. I walked quietly down the hallway making sure not to wake anyone, and managed to slip into one of the tunnels unnoticed. I climbed the ladder to the manhole and could feel the winter chill as I climbed closer ad closer to the streets. Once I was out of the manhole I climbed the fire escape in the alley and got to the roofs as fast as I could.

On the roof I stopped. The winter air was fresh and it felt so good on my face. I let it consume me and fill up my lungs. I commanded the wind to pick up telepathically and a few seconds later it obeyed me. The wind made my hair wild, and made me feel free. I was free.

I took off across the rooftops, jumping was the easiest part. I still had a little trouble sticking some of the longer landings.

I had been out for an hour before I actually heard something. It was a voice, coming from the alley way below. I walked over to the edge of the roof, went invisible and peered over. It took some time for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when I finally could see, my eyes went wide and a small gasp escaped me.

Below me was an old enemy, the mutant that haunted my dreams. It was him, the one with all the spikes all over his body. I tried to move, to run away but my body was frozen. How did he find me, how could he have possibly tracked me all the way here.

"Anzo, we should keep moving, daylight will be upon us soon and-"

"Silence, I know what I am doing."

The mutant was in the company of another just like him, expect this mutant had the features of a lion, but stood equally as tall. They were the mutants from the night my house was set on fire.

I never caught the other ones name. It was obvious that "Anzo" was a leader of some sort. The leader of my man hunt probably.

"I know that bitch came through here. Lets keep moving. The scienziatos need her back asap." He spoke with an Italian accent, of course, he was the mutant that killed my parents in cold blood.

"What exactly do they need her for anyway?" the inferior asked.

He paused, annoyed by his accomplice. "She's a rouge, an unexpected outcome of project 87. Kinda like me but not mutated. She's very dangerous."

"What exactly was project 87"

"You're killin' me here..." he paused. "Back in Sicily, where I was raised there was a sickness, a plague almost. I group of scientists went around injecting people with this stuff claiming to be doctors who found the cure...who could save us all. Most of my people died anyway, When it came my turn to get the injection I got terribly sick, sicker than before, and a few days later I became this...they tortured me until I agreed to work for them, then they told me the secret behind the injections." The inferior mutant looked to Anzo, awaiting more. Anzo just sighed.

"The injections were a mixture of highly radioactive chemicals and mutagen...they claimed to have been working with some higher form of intelligence and wanted to create a superior human race. They only got it right with a few of their test subjects, all of the others either died or turned like me. I am the only surviving test subject from project 87 besides Alex...her mother survived the injection and soon after gave birth to her, the injections gave her mother gifts that no normal human could posses, three years after the birth we found out that the baby had been given a gift also, the same as her mothers and the scienziatos wanted her to experiment on but she took off."

"And that is why we are here. Okay? no more questions." Anzo snapped at the other mutant.

I was so filled with rage, my body threw itself over the edge of the rooftop in-between the two mutants. I was visible at that point and drew my nodachi.

"What the?" Anzo said looking at me confused.

I ran at him slicing his arm. He growled, lunging at me but I easily dodged. The other mutant came at me bearing out his claws, I led him straight towards Anzo then quickly darted out of the way, letting them collide.

"Get out of my way" Anzo said shoving the inferior mutant.

I charged at Anzo again and again each time nicking him a little. I lunged at him once more and he caught me by my leg and picked me up dangling me upside-down.

"If you were a smart girl you wouldn't have done that." He said as he dragged one of his sharp spiked down my stomach. I screamed in pain, the blood was coming fast. He threw me into the brick wall beside the alley.

"Stupid little city rat." he said glaring down at me. He then turned to leave. "Let's go the sun will be up soon, we have to pick up on her trail again she's probably to Vermont by now."

He left me in the alley way bleeding out, but I smiled at his stupidity, he didn't even realize the girl he had been hunting down was right in front of him.

I put my hand over my stomach, I could still feel the sting from where his spike cut through my skin. When I pulled my hand back it was covered in blood. I looked up, the sun was rising, the boys would be getting up for training soon, they'd realize I was gone. Leo would be the first to come looking for me. I doubted that they would find me in time.

My vision blurred in and out and I started feeling light-headed.

Then everything went black.

**(A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. It's been a busy week for me. Hope you liked this chapter! Please review!(: Let me know what you think!)**


	9. Chapter 9 : A Second Chance

Chapter Nine.

_It felt like I was flying. I opened my eyes and darkness no longer surrounded me, I was instead surrounded by light. _

_"Alex?" _

_The light faded, I was back in my old room, expect this time there was no faint orange glow from under the doorway, it was normal. _

_"Alex! What are you doing here?" the voice came from my uncles. _

_"Uncle!" I ran to him and hugged him, tears started rolling down my cheeks. When he saw this he wiped them away with his thumb. _

_"Alex..." He hugged me again, this time tighter. _

_"Alex you can't stay here, you must go back." _

_"Who do I have to go back to Uncle, I'm finally with my family now!" I said beaming._

_"I don't think you realized you have another family now, and they need you." he gestured to the wall on the right of us. The wall no longer held a solid base color, but was swirling with colors, all very bright and vivid. The swirling colors soon took up the whole wall and a moment later I saw New York City. It was snowing softly now and when I looked closely I could see four figures hopping along rooftops. The wall was showing me the turtles, my brothers. _

_"You'll be leaving behind people who care greatly about you, who maybe even love you..."_

_The wall showed Raphael. He was standing on the edge of the rooftop I had been on just the night before. He looked down into the Alley and let his eyes adjust to the ever lingering darkness of morning. I saw his mouth moving but no sound could be generated through the wall. I walked over to the wall and watched more carefully. He was yelling to someone, probably his brothers. His facial expression looked like he had just gotten kicked in the stomach, his eyes were filled with grief. _

_That's when I saw what he was looking at. It was me. My body was crumpled up next to the dumpster, blood was everywhere. My arm was bent unnaturally and my shirt was torn down the front in the middle where Anzo had sliced open my stomach. My one white shirt was now pure red, soaked with my own blood, and my hands were also covered. I made no attempt to move, I was a lifeless heap. _

_Raphael jumped off the roof and hurried over to me, I watched as he picked me up gently and climbed back up the fire escape, I never realized how strong he was. _

_His brothers were already there on the rooftop, looking at me with the same sad eyes Raph had, Donnie bent down beside me and put his finger to my wrist. He kept his head low, when he rose again he just shook his head. _

_Raphael walked over to the billboard and perched himself on top of it, with his head in his hands. Leo and Donnie went down to where Raph had found me and were looking around for clues as to what happened, When I saw Leo's face he had a slight tear ready to escape his eye, but he quickly wiped it away. _

_The only turtle who stayed by my side and would not move was Mikey. He sat next to me with my head in his lap and held my hand. I must've been ice cold. _

_"Why are you showing me this?" I said to my Uncle, while running my hand across the wall. _

_"To show you what you'll be leaving behind. To give you a chance to choose."_

_"But it already happened how do I have a choice." I watched through the wall as Leo scooped me into his arms and carried be across the rooftops back to the lair. The only brother that did not follow was Raphael. He stayed on the billboards with his head still in his hands. He looked up tot the sky and cursed at it then letting out a single tear he jumped off the billboard and slowed walked back to the lair._

_"Oh Alex, everyday we're given second chances. Please don't take this one for granted."_

_"Will I see you again.." I said hugging him one last time, I had made my decision. _

_"Yes." he said patting my head. "But hopefully not so soon. I love you Alex."_

_" I love you too, Uncle." _

The flying sensation stopped, this time I felt like I was falling. I struggled to open my eyes and move, but I couldn't. Then the feeling of being carried took over. I heard muffled coughs and scuffing feet. I must be back.

Leo was indeed carrying me, I could tell by the way he breathed, the sound became familiar from meditating with him so often. I tried to say something but it felt like my voice box had been cut out.

I felt the couch beneath me as Leo set me down. I could hear him leaving to go tell master Splinter what had happened. I heard Mikey and Don talking in the background, they must've been walking away from me because for a while it was silent...

Then I heard footsteps. It must've been Raphael. He walked over to me and kneeled down beside the couch.

"Alex..." He said as he pushed a piece of hair out of my face. His fingers were warm, my face was cold to the touch. He bent his head down into the crook of my shoulder.

"Please come back..." He whispered into my ear his voice cracking.

I willed myself to move, I could feel the sensation of living coming back to me, very slowly, I opened my eyes and blinked a few times, adjusting to the room. I moved my fingers around, they were stiff. Along with the sensation of being alive again came the feeling of being killed. My stomach was on fire and my arm felt like it was ready to fall off. I groaned in pain. Raph quickly raised his head. His green eyes met mine, he looked confused but quickly wrapped his arms around me.

"Alex. You're alive!" he said, it sounded like he was almost talking to himself, he must be trying to convince himself I was indeed alive.

I managed to squeak out a quiet "Raph."

'Please don't ever leave like that again. I thought you were...dead..."

"Don't worry you can't get rid of me that easy." I said, coughing in-between words trying to smile.

He just cupped my face in his hands. "Alex, I..." He looked like he was struggling to say something but before he could get his words out Don and Mikey walked back in, their heads were hung low.

"Donnie, Mikey.." I said. I wanted to yell but the only voice level that escaped me was the quietest. Their heads shot up and they dashed over to me.

"Alex!" They said in unison.

"I thought you were..."

I put my finger up to Mikey's lips making the shush motion.

"I'm here now and that's all that matters." I said to him.

The rest of the day Don stitched up my stomach. Mikey tried to get me to eat but I wasn't hungry surprisingly. I was just mainly tired. I was pretty weak from all the blood loss. I was still covered in blood so Don ran some water for me in the bath. When the boys left the bathroom I locked the door and got undressed. I looked at my body in the mirror. I looked like I had got hit by a train going full speed. This is what a dead persons body looked like, all bruised and blistered. then again I was dead just a couple hours ago. My focus shifted down to the giant scar down my torso. It was still oozing a little blood, but other than that it was scabbing over. The sight of me made me want to gag.

I slipped into the tub, the hot water scalded my body but it felt good. I let it consume me.

I sat in the water for an hour, when I got back out I changed into the fresh clothes I had brought into the bathroom with me and I threw the blood soaked shirt in the garbage.

Raph helped me back to my bed. In fact he carried me, being gentle not to rip open my stitches. I also had to have my arm taped from where I hit the wall, it was fractured but Donnie didn't have a cast to put me in. There was nothing Don could do about my minor scrapes or bruises though, but they would go away in due time. I would be healed, I just had to be patient.

While Raph was carrying me to my bed bridal style I looked over his shoulder, feeling the presence of someone behind us. It was Leo. He was standing in the lair, watching Raph carry me. I smiled at him. He just smiled and nodded back at me, Don must've told him I was alive.

When we got to the bedroom, Raph gently lowered me onto the bed. He sat down on the edge just looking at me.

"Alex, I thought I lost you today."

"I know Raph. I'm sorry I should've listened to Leo..."

"It's okay, all that matters is that you're back, but please don't leave me like that again. You already tried to once and it killed me seeing you like that." He was referring to my attempted suicide. "And today when I found you..." He looked away trying to avoid contact, but I saw his watery eyes.

He composed himself, but still wouldn't look at me. "Alex it's just that, I don't want to lose you." He said with sad eyes

.

I didn't know what to say to him.

He started to ramble again and I forced myself to sit up. It hurt but I did it. I placed one of my hands on his face, and kissed his cheek.

"Raphael" I said softly looking into his bright green eyes. His face was turning red. "You wont lose me, I found out today that there are certain people you can't leave behind. I promise, you're one of them." I gave him a warm smile.

He took my hand in his and held it there for a minute, then looked down hiding his blush.

He got up slowly from my bed and walked to the door, before we went out he turned to me.

He said nothing, he just smiled at me. It was the first genuine smile I had ever gotten from Raph. He was generally distant, never showing his feelings.

"I'll be right back." he said and he quietly shut the door.

The weakness took back over and I closed my eyes.

My uncles words echoed in my head.. _"You'll be leaving behind people who care greatly about you, who maybe even love you..." _

I smiled at his words. Maybe I did make the right choice, taking my second chance.

**(A/N: Another chapter finished! Please read and review(: also let me know what you think. It's really hard for me to write the romance part of this novel, I'm always drawing blanks...so tell me what you want to see and throw some ideas out there, I'm always listening!)**


	10. Chapter 10 : The Color Red

Chapter Ten.

"Come on Alex! You have to come with us!" April was shouting at me through the kitchen doorway. It had been a week since my run-in with Anzo, my bruises are fading away and some of my minor cuts are healing over. What I'm worried about is my stomach.

"April, you know I can't go." The giant gash that traced across my belly-button hadn't even began to show signs of healing. Don says it's because the wound was so deep, and he was right the cut was incredibly deep. Leonardo says it's a miracle that I'm alive.

"C'mon, it'll be fun! You could meet so many new people!" April was always persistent when she wanted something. In this case she wanted me to attend her high school's annual winter ball with her and Casey. I've been to a few school dances before, they're nothing but boring. I was never a social butterfly, if anything I'm an outcast in public. Why would I want to go to a high school ball full of people I don't know and mingle. It just wasn't my thing.

"I'm not even healed yet, my stitches will rip if I even attempt to put on a dress." I laughed that one off. Me? In a dress? No thank you.

"Alex, I will drag you there if it's the last thing I do. You're going."

"Apr-" I started to protest but was cut off.

"You are going and that is final!" She was shouting at me, her glare was serious and I was honestly scared for a moment. Then her face relaxed and she started laughing. "I'll go pick out some dresses for you okay?" She said smiling at me.

Since my mind was already made up for me I just nodded my head. Maybe this could be good for me, I hadn't been around a lot of actual humans in a while.

* * *

><p>I walked into the dojo where the boys were training. I was obviously forced to be excluded from the everyday training because of my wounds but that couldn't stop me from still going. I usually sat in front of the tree where master Splinter stood and studied the moves of the lethal ninjas. I liked watching Leo the best. He was so concentrated when he fought, and the way he worked with his katanas was amazing. Leo was undoubtedly the most well trained out of the brothers but he was beaten when it came to strongest.<p>

Raphael worked out almost everyday of his life. He had weights in his room that he usually used when I was not present. I would walk by some days and hear the clanging of metal or the grunts he made while lifting and force myself to keep walking. If I distracted him or barged in at the wrong time he could easily lose his temper. Mikey barged in while he was working out one day and the next second he came running out of the room followed by a flying dumbbell.

Occasionally I would knock on the door and let myself in when I was in dire need of something, it was my room too. He'd just nod his head at me and I'd grab whatever I needed and got out.

Finally Raph let Leo back up from the ground and flexed his muscles showing them off to Leo. Little did he know I was watching him too. His arms were so big and muscular. When he flexed I felt my breath catch. I bit my lip, looking up at him through my dark eyelashes. He was attractive, for a mutant turtle. Part of me longed for his touch, but another art of me told me it was wrong, that he could never love me, and I could never love him. We were two different things, brought into this amazing, lively world...only to have to hide from it.

When he turned to talk to sensei he caught my eye, when he saw me he quickly averted his eyes and his face showed small signs of blush. I instantly turned my gaze to the floor and kept it there until I was sure he was no longer in the room.

"Alex, my daughter. What seems to be troubling you?"

Splinters voices broke the silence. The guys must've left already.

"Sensei..." I looked up at him, He was looking down at me with curious eyes.

"You were looking at my son with a great amount of lust today."

I didn't think for a moment that Splinter would've seen how I was looking at Raph. I blushed turning dark red.

"Alex, tell me what is bothering you."

I looked at him, my face getting hotter. "Master Splinter, I've never felt this way before. I don't know what it means."

He just smiled. "Some people will come into your life that you know you could never replace if they left, that Alex, is love."

I tuned my gaze back to the floor. "What do I do Sensei...?"

"Do whatever it is that will make you happy. For at the end of the day that is all that truly matters...is it not?" he said putting his fingertips under my chin to raise my eyes to meet him. I just looked at him. Maybe he was right.

"I think you should meditate on it Alex. Although, I think you're heart already has everything figured out. It is your brain that needs some encouraging." He smiled at me and walked to his room. "Goodnight" he said shutting the door.

"Goodnight." I said in almost a whisper.

* * *

><p>I woke up the next morning to persistent knocking on my door. I groaned and rolled over on to my stomach, this was a mistake. Instant pain shot through me like an electric bolt. I slowly rolled back over and tried to sit up.<p>

"Come in."

April barged in the door with her arms full of dresses.

"Today's the big day Alex!" She said beaming. "I brought you some of my old dresses, I assumed they'd fit you, you look about my size."

She proceeded to lay out the dresses one by one on Raph's bed, he was already gone, he woke up early for training. Since my accident I've been sleeping in until almost one, Don said it's totally normal from all the blood I lost. It's feels good to sleep in. It's not like I could really do anything productive anyways with all my cuts and fractures.

"April, the ball doesn't start until 8." I said yawning. It was 1:30, that's a new record for me.

"I know, I know, but I wanted to give you some time to pick out a dress. I'll bring back some heels later you can try on."

I just sighed. I wasn't exactly excited for the ball but I was happy I finally had permission to leave the lair. Only under one condition though, that April or Casey be with me at all times, and I'm not to wander off alone. Master Splinter was very clear. Also the boys wouldn't be too far away on patrol so if I was in big trouble I could call one of their t-phones.

"I hope you can find one you like." She said referring to her dresses.

"I'll find something, don't worry" I said reassuring her. April was the only real friend I had ever had. I've never appreciated anyone more than her, she's done so much for me. "April..." I said as she turned to leave.

"Yeah Alex?.."

"Thank you so much."

"Anytime. I'll be back around three with the shoes okay?"

"And I'll be right here." I said jokingly. I really never left my room besides dinner, lunch and occasionally to watch the guys train.

When April left I shut the door and walked over to Raph's bed where the dresses were laid out. There were about five of them. I decided I better try them on now and make sure they fit.

I ran my hands over the different fabric of the dresses. April only brought me loose, flowing dresses, she knew I couldn't wear the tight fitted ones because of my stitches.

I picked up the dress closest to me. It was yellow and ended right above my knee cap. I held it up in front of me in the mirror. I didn't like the way it looked don my skin, yellow just wasn't my color. I did this with all of the dresses and settled for two dresses. One was royal blue, the other was a beautiful red. I tried the blue one of first. It went well with my chocolate hair. It was loose enough that it didn't really irritate my stitches, and it ended about six inches above my knee cap. I loved it, but sometime in my head drew me toward the red dress.

the red dress was short also, the hem stopped about the same length off of my knee as the blue dress. I didn't look in the mirror until after I put the dress on. When I looked up I was stunned at what I saw looking back at me. I looked daring and bold. The brilliant red of the dress made me look even more pale, but was almost as if my skin was glowing. The green of my hazel eyes was more prominent than it had ever been. For the first time I actually looked beautiful.

* * *

><p>Within the next hour April showed up with the shoes and when I told her what dress I was going to wear she almost had an anxiety attack.<p>

"Alex you're going to look so gorgeous! I can't wait!" She said laying the shoes out on the floor.

It took me a while, but, I ended up picking a pair of black pumps.

For the remaining hours leading up to the ball April kept me locked away in my room, doing my hair and make-up. She insisted that I straightened my hair, she was obsessed with how long it was. I sat there for a good hour letting her fiddle around with my hair. The heat radiating off of the flat iron felt good against my neck.

After she was done I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair fell past my waist now, the iron made it glossy and soft. I had never pampered myself like this before and it felt good to finally get to do girl things.

For another hour I curled Aprils hair. I never saw Aprils hair out of her ponytail before now. It was shoulder length, with layers. It took me a while to get used to the curler, but I did a pretty good job.

Then we moved on to make-up. She did hers first, not trusting me with the eyeliner due to my lack of experience with it. I only ever wore mascara. She showed me how to put on the eyeliner and curle my lashes. I tried doing the liner myself but messed it up so many times. April finally caved in and did my make-up for me. When she backed away from my face she looked proud of her work.

"Okay go look in the mirror and tell me what you think." She said urging me to go look.

When I saw my face I didn't register it as myself at first. I looked different, not a bad different but a good one.

"April...I look pretty for once." I said giggling.

She giggled back.

* * *

><p>I hadn't realized how much time we had spent getting ready together. It was already almost time to go. We changed into our dresses and I helped April lace into hers. Her dress was a beautiful lavender color with a corset back. It was as short as mine but it flared out a little at the bottom. I put on my pumps and walked over to the mirror one last time.<p>

"Are you coming?" I heard her voice call from the doorway.

"I'll catch up."

I stood there staring at myself in the mirror. I was no longer a teenager, but an adult. At least that's what I looked like. It as amazing how much five inch heels could do for you. I reached out and touched my reflection on the mirror. I was excited and torn at the same time. I just wished my family could be here to see their little girl.

I took one last look in the mirror and took a deep breath as I strolled out the door.

My heels clicked on the cement of the lair as I walked to the living room to find April and Casey.

I saw April first, talking to Donnie. Beside them was Mikey and Leo talking to Casey, who was wearing a tux. I raised my eyebrows at that. Casey Jones? How did April get him to even agree on going to this ball? I lingered in the shadow of the concealed hallway for a bit before walking out to show myself.

I finally got up the courage to walk out. My heals gave away my presence before I could announce myself. April turned around to face me.

"Alex!" She said smiling.

Her outburst alerted the group of Casey, Leo and Mikey. They all turned around to face me, they're eyes looked me up and down. They were speechless, standing there like normal teenage boys. Even Casey kept his eyes on me. When he realized he was staring he looked away quickly.

"Alex...you look so. So-"

"Gorgeous? Stunning? Beautiful?" April interrupted Leo before he could finish what he was trying to say.

He looked away, his cheeks turning red. I looked around the room there were two people missing. Raph and Splinter.

I walked over to the group of three. "Where's Raph?" I asked

"Talking to Sensei" Mikey replied.

"Talking about what?" I said pushing the conversation on.

"Dunno" Mikey said.

* * *

><p>I just signed. When I turned around to leave the group I caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of my eye.<p>

I turned to face the missing brother. He was already staring at me. Eyes wide open, he looked me up and down like the others did but his eyes took their time, lingering in certain places. Was he checking me out? I asked myself. I felt my body heating up.

I strolled over to him being careful not to break my ankle in my heels.

"Hey Raph." I said looking at him smiling.

"H-hey, Alex" he said scratching the back of his neck. "You look...Beautiful." the words escaped his mouth before he could think about what he was saying. He looked down at the ground blushing hard.

"Thanks." I said, my cheeks burning.

"Alex! We're going now!" April called from across the room.

"Okay!" I shouted back to her. I turned back to Raph. "I gotta go."

Before I could take two steps my arm was grabbed and I spun back around.

"Raph?"

"Alex, be careful out there tonight. Stay close to April and Casey. If anything happens call us." He said quickly.

"Don't worry. I'll be back here by one." I smiled reassuring him.

He let go of my arm and followed his brothers into the dojo to gear up. I almost forgot they'd be going out tonight too. I turned back to look at Raph. I caught a glimpse of him disappearing into the dojo as I left through the tunnels.

I smiled. I was leaving the lair for the first time in weeks, but I guess old habits never truly die, I had strapped on my nodachi right after April left me alone in me room, but she didn't have to know that.

I caught up to Casey and April and fell in step bedside them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alex is finally leaving the lair! Will she be able to stay hidden and safe? Also I chose to have Alex debate over wearing a blue or red dress to hint towards what her feelings are trying to tell her *Cough cough* Red & Blue = Raph and Leo. She hasn't listened to what her heart is telling her yet though. Sorry it took so long to update I hope you like it, although it's kind of bland/ not a lot going on. Reviews appreciated!(:**

**Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11: Finally

Chapter Eleven.

The biter cold of winter fell softly tonight in tiny delicate snowflakes as we walked the streets of the city making our way to the ball. As we drew close I almost regretted coming. The place was packed, people were filling in the doors by the hundreds.

"April...exactly how many people do you go to school with?" I asked, my voice shaky.

She just laughed. "Oh I forgot to tell you this is also a masquerade, I made you your mask for you." She pulled out three masks. A plain black on for Casey, and two others. April slipped hers on. It was dark purple, surprisingly it went well with the lavender dress for being a much darker color, and it had white feathers standing up on one side of it. Then she handed me my mask. It was black, like Casey's but April had cut out little designs, making it look almost like lace. It was gorgeous, you could tell she spent a lot of time on it. I took it with two hands.

"April...this is beautiful!" I said putting it on. "How do I look?" I said smiling.

"Trust me Alex, you look amazing." She said pulling both me and Casey up the steps to the ball.

When I walked inside I was awestruck. The time and effort put into the designs and decorations was prominent, signs of a regular high school gym hid beneath posters and streamers. I stopped walking just to take the extra time to look up at the ceiling decorations. Millions of tiny cutout snowflakes were suspended from the ceiling, hanging all at different lengths. It looked like falling snow, it was so beautiful. I felt someone's tiny fingers lace around my wrist and was pulled forward through the crowd.

"Alex! I though I had lost you already!" April shouted at me over the music.

"I'm sorry!...It's just I've never been to something like this before..." I wasn't focusing on April anymore, my eyes shifted around the room, looking at all the people that had poured in the gym. they were all in masks, all of them dresses to their best.

"C'mon, Casey saved us a table." She said as she pulled me with her. The table was the farthest away from the dance floor, probably picked for a reason. It was quieter back here, much quieter. Casey had his head down on the table, I assumed he was asleep. This kind of stuff didn't appeal to Casey. I knew the only reason he was here was for my protection, and he was already asleep on the job.

April and I sat at the table for probably a good hour just talking about life. We talked about Don and their relationship, it was funny watching Aprils face light up when she talked about him. They were good for each other.

"So what about you and big Red?" She asked, looking at me raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"Excuse me?" I said laughing.

"Come on Alex, stop trying to hide your feelings. I see right through you." She said still grinning.

"I do not like him, if that's what you're trying to get at."

"Sure. You know he was talking to me the other day about you..."

I raised my head to hers quickly, she caught this and registered it before I could hide my sudden interest. She smirked at me, again.

"Wh-what'd he say about me?" I asked trying to sound smooth and not too overly excited.

"Actually, I overheard him talking to Donnie about it."

I leaned in signaling I wanted to hear more.

"He said he really wants to tell you how he feels but he doesn't want to end up hurting you in the long run. He said something else but I couldn't really hear them after that."

"Are you sure that's what he said?"

"Ehhh...It was either Raph or Leo talking, couldn't really tell."

I just looked down at my hands in my lap. Leo or Raph? How could she not know. Maybe she was just toying with me, maybe she never even heard any of those things. April was the kind of person who liked to get in your head.

Before I could say anything back to April the dj's voice filled the room. "This next one's ladies choice, for that special someone. Grab 'em and get out here on the floor cause we're slowin' it down for a few songs."

"Casey come on!" April yelled in his ear. His head shot up from the table where it was resting. before he had time to register where he was he was dragged away by the ever persistent April O'Neil. I don't think they really thought this one through because I was alone at the table. I looked up at the skylight, the moon was bright tonight. Wait- what was that? I say a figure standing in the path of the moon. I couldn't really register who it might be, then I remembered the turtles were out tonight.

I decided to leave to table and go to the roof.

* * *

><p>It didn't take me long to find the stairs that led up tot the roof. I took my heels off and started climbing. I pushed open the door that led outside and braced myself for the cold. I slipped my heels back on and proceeded to the skylight where I saw the figure.<p>

I was right, well semi-right. The turtles were out tonight, but only one occupied the roof I was under. The one and only Raphael.

He walked out from the darkness. "Fancy meeting you here." He grinned. "Shouldn't you be down in the dance with April and Casey?" he asked, noticing I came alone.

"They ditched me as soon as the slow songs started playing." I said. "I don't dance anyway, just not my thing, ya know?" I said leaning against a heater.

"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of high school dances either." he said jokingly, I laughed getting his attention. I could feel him looking at me but I just looked at the moon. It was so much bigger out here than when I saw it inside, and it was even more stunning.

"Do you ever feel like you're heart is telling you one thing but your mind is telling you another?" I asked him out of pure curiosity, still starting at the moon.

"All the time." he answered quietly. I looked over at him. He was looking down at his sias, fiddling around with them.

"It's like I'm constantly fighting a battle with myself, My heart wants one thing, almost longs for it...but my head says no, don't do this, don't do that."

"Splinter always taught me when I was younger to follow your heart, because it's almost always what you really want deep down."

"Yeah but do you ever let your heart take the lead? I mean, I just don't trust myself enough I guess."

We were both looking out over the city now. It was lit up with street lamps and headlights, and the music from the dance drowned out the noise from the city.

"Maybe you just need to take a leap of faith." Raph said.

I swallowed hard. Raph was telling me exactly what to do. My heart was telling me exactly what it wanted, but my head kept a grip on me.

I looked at Raph. In the moonlight I could see the detail of his tough skin, and the indents where his muscles stood out along his biceps. I wanted to reach out and run my hand along them, but my brain said not to. He was not human...but neither was I.

"Raph, people like us...we don't belong out here."

"I know what you mean." He chuckled. "At least you're human."

"I'm not all human though. If people saw me for who I really am they'd run the other way." I said looking down at my hands, fazing them in and out of invisibility.

"I just want to live a normal life..." I said quietly.

"Tell me about it." He said.

There was a long silence before either of us spoke again. I was trying to figure out if I should leave to find April and Casey or stay up here. My mind told me to go back to the dance where it was warm and safe, but for once my feet stayed planted on the cement rooftop.

"Raphael?" I asked quietly.

He looked at me. "Yeah?"

"What are you thinking about right now?" I really was curious as to what was going on in my companies mind. He seemed less like Raph right now. There were no snide remarks or anger in his eyes, he was holding back on something. Then again, his brothers weren't here to irritate him. I looked out across the neighboring rooftops, I caught a glimpse of Mike, on his skateboard, and Leo silently watching over the city on the edge of a far rooftop. I couldn't spot Donnie, I assumed he'd be close by because of April, but then maybe I just couldn't see him. The brothers were so close, I could shout out to Leo and get a response, but at the same time Raph and I felt disconnected from the world. Like it was just us on the roof. There were no brothers or ballroom music. I felt completely alone with Raphael, and I was alright with that.

"Why do you wanna know?" He said half smiling.

"Just conversation I guess."

"Well, I'm thinking whether or not I should pummel Mikey to the ground when we get home for touching my comics, but I'm feeling generous tonight maybe I'll hold off on him." He said smirking looking out across the rooftops at his brother.

I just smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked chuckling.

"You aren't as tough as you come off as." I said grinning.

"What? I'm the toughest one out of anyone here!" He said, getting a little defensive.

"Oh Raph, you have a soft side, just admit it." I jokingly nudged at him.

"Whatever." He said nudging me back a little harder.

"So, since you asked me, now I get to ask you. What's on your mind?" he asked looking out over the city.

I had hoped he wasn't going to turn the question round on me, but I was, at the same time wishing he would.

"Are you sure you wanna ask me that? I got a lot of issues on my head right now." I said half laughing.

"Let's hear it."

"Well I cant stop thinking about this certain thing, I finally went to Splinter about it and he told me to listen to my heart. I'm scared though. What if I take the chance on my heart and it doesn't work out."

I was scared, scared of Raph's rejection. It was ironic how we ended up on this rooftop alone together to talk about my feelings for him and how I should approach them, while he thought we were talking about something else all together. I wanted to confess everything right there, and just hug him. To touch him right now was what my body ached for most. I thought about what Raph might say or do if I confesses=d my feelings for him. My worst fear right now was him laughing in my face, telling me to fuck off like he did everyone else. But another part of me knew there was hope, that maybe if I confessed everything to him he'd be accepting, ad one day maybe return the feelings.

"I think you should listen to your heart then, just go for it."

"I'm terrified of what might happen."

"Taking chances is how we get over our fears."

I glanced over at him, his face was serious...he was actually giving me advice instead of joking around or being rude.

"What's your fear." I asked curiously. How could the toughest guy I know have any fears? I asked myself...but deep down we're all afraid, running from something.

"You just had to ask." He said half grinning.

"You know it."

He was silent for a while before he gave me the answer I was looking for.

"Love."

"Love?"

"My fear is never finding love. I mean people take one look at me and run away screaming. Look at me, I don't blame them." He dropped his voice, looking down at his three-fingered hands. I wanted to reach out and take his hand in mine, for this was my fear too.

"Rap-"

"That's why you gotta take chances Alex, because people like me? We don't get those shots you do."

His last words were my final push forward. I stepped towards him. sliding my hand across the cold raised wall of the outer rooftop.

"Raphael?" I said quietly. My mind was racing, yelling and screaming things at me. I held back for a moment considering that this may not be the best time to do this. I took a deep breath and washed the voice in my head away. My thoughts fell silent.

Raph unhooked himself from where he was leaning and turned towards me.

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me." I said, getting the words out before I had the chance to take them back.

"What?" he looked at me confused.

"kiss me..." I said quieter than before. Even my voice sent shivers down my spine. I could believe I was doing this.

Raph's eyes were confused, looking me up and down as if the person he was just standing next to a moment ago had miraculously changed into someone else.

I closed my eyes not wanted to see the look on his face when he realized what I was really asking him to do. I started to regret it all, I would take a taxi to the edge of town tonight and leave. Maybe I could go back to the south, or maybe Cali. I wanted to cry. I didn't want to leave but my own stupid actions caused my own demise.

Right before I opened my eyes I felt one hand on my waist, it pulled me forward and I followed obediently. I opened my eyes, and Raph was looking right into them as if he willed them to open. "Alex." He said under his breath.

He cupped my face in his free hand, lacing his finger in my hair. Then it happened, his mouth found mine. To my surprise his lips were soft and warm, this is when my mind started racing again. I was so in shock that it had actually happened I must not have been responding to the kiss because Raph pulled away.

"I thought that's what you wanted..." He said turning his back to me. I let my mind wash away again. I grabbed him arm and turned him back around. I hooked my arms up around his neck, locking him into my embrace, then pressed my lips against his. The warmness returned, and this time I responded to the kiss as I should have a moment ago. He laced his hand back into my hair pushing the back of my head towards him, I loved the aggression, it was a turn on.

As the kiss deepened, Raph opened up more. I let out a soft moan when he nipped at my bottom lip letting him know I was enjoying this.

We both pulled away at the same time, just staring into each others eyes. It was a long silence before he said anything.

"Alex, I've been wanting to do that for a long time." he confessed.

"Me too." I said shyly.

Suddenly the door busted open and out came April, and Casey. they both looked like they were in a panic, probably because they just realized I was gone.

"Alex! God so help me I'll rip your throat out if you ever do that again, the rules were stay with us!" April yelled out across the roof.

She didn't see me in Raphael's arms until the last minute. Raph suddenly released me when he realized we were no longer alone and we both stood there awkwardly.

When April saw this her expression lightened. "Oh did we interrupt something?" she teased walking over to us.

"That's what you guys get for leaving me alone at the table, what was I supposed to do?" I said accusingly.

"I guess you're right." She said. I heard Casey snicker something in Raph's ear and Raph responded by elbowing him in the ribcage.

"Ouch! It was a joke man..." Raph just laughed

"You're going to tell me everything tomorrow." April whispered in my ear.

I smiled at her. "Okay" I whispered back.

* * *

><p>The ball wasn't ever yet so April and Casey went back down, ushering me to come along with them, but I had no interest in the dance anymore. That night I followed Raph and the other brothers home. Since I couldn't jump the rooftops in my heels, Raphael carried me. I didn't hold back on running my hands along his muscles now, he just looked down at me and smiled.<p>

When we got back to the lair, Raph waited outside our room until I was changed.

"You can come in now!" I yelled through the closed door. A second later it opened and in came Raph. His eyelids were droopy, this was probably the latest he's stayed up.

"Goodnight." He said smirking at me through half open eyes.

"Goodnight." I said.

We didn't discuss what happened on the roof, but I knew this was the start of something amazing.

I fell asleep with the sensation of Raphael's kiss on my mind, it sent butterflies through my stomach and my body shouted "more! more!"

"Raph?" I said across the dark room in my bed.

"Yeah?" he said sleepily.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore." I said quietly to him.

"Thank you." He whispered back.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It finally happened! Tell me what you think. I love reading your guys reviews! **

**Thanks for reading!(:**


	12. Chapter 12 : Ice

Chapter Twelve.

It was morning, the boys were still asleep and I couldn't seem to get comfortable. I decided it was probably time for me to get up anyway. Having a huge slash on your stomach didn't go hand in hand with sleeping, especially since I'm so used to sleeping on my stomach. I got up quietly, somewhat struggling, I still had large bruises all over my body, they were slowly healing but turning all kinds of disgusting colors. I looked down at my arms, they were covered in scabs from all the minor cuts I had. I sighed, I was healing, but ever so slowly. In the doorway, I leaned against the frame of the entrance, mornings were the worst for me, everything was sore, and I was weak. I let my body adjust to waking up and continued out into the hall towards the kitchen.

I had been wrong, three brothers were asleep, one in blue occupied the kitchen. I walked to the kitchen and stood in the frame of the door way trying to catch my breath. It took a lot out of me, just walking around, especially since it felt like sometimes my lungs weren't working properly.

"Good morning Leo." I said smiling through my evident pain.

"Morning Alex." he looked me up and down, his expression went from content to worried within a matter of seconds. "Are you alright?"

I usually woke up around noon on any other day, the guys had never seen me in the process of waking up, not since I've been too wounded to get up early and train with them. They kindly let me sleep, although sometimes Mikey will come in and try to wake me up to play his video games with him when no one else will.

"I'm fine, mornings are a killer though." I said grimly walking over to the coffee machine. Coffee had become almost a drug for me since I've been having trouble waking up, Donnie introduced it to me since he's the only one that drinks it out of his brothers and Splinter. While my coffee was being made I turned to Leo. "Why are you up so early, you have at least an hour until training."

"Couldn't sleep." He said.

"You too?" I laughed. "Have a bad dream?" I said teasingly.

"Something like that." He said blankly back.

The smile on my face faded. I didn't want to push the subject, but I hated seeing Leo so hurt. After all, Leo was the first one to even comfort me when I arrived here, he helped me through the toughest subjects of my life, and got me to rise above. He needed someone right now, and from the snores carrying into the kitchen from the hall, I was the only one.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, grabbing my coffee and sitting down at the table across from him. There was a pause but he looked like he was going to say something.

"Do you remember when you had all those awful nightmares?"

"Unfortunately." I shivered at the thought of them.

"I've been getting them too. In every single one I'm fighting along side my brothers, each one gets pulled into the darkness and I'm all alone. I try running to find them but they're gone, just gone...and then sometimes you're there..."

I sat tracing my fingertip around the rim of my coffee mug. "What happens when I'm there?" I asked urging him to go on. I knew how painful nightmares could be, especially ones where everyone you know is gone and you're the only one remaining. It takes an emotional toll on people.

"You're there and you come out of nowhere, and we fight...and sometimes I end up killing you, but other times you kill me... Everyone dies Alex, everyone. And they wont stop, I wake up every morning like this." His head was cradled in his hands as he waited for an answer, anything to help him, but I had no remedy for him. Yeah I went through the same things, and I meditated and eventually they went away. But Leo, he mediated everyday, what could I possibly tell him.

"Maybe your dreams are trying to tell you something." I said sipping my coffee.

"Like what? That I'm going to lose everyone I care about!?" He said, his voice was shaky and I couldn't see the look on his face because it was still covered by his hands.

"Maybe your nightmares are just a reflection of your worst fear."

"I could've told you that." He said flatly.

"Maybe you should ask Sensei what you should do, he really helped me when I was having nightmares."

There was silence.

He was getting on my nerves. I was trying to help him but he kept pushing me away. I wasn't Master Splinter. I had no life altering advice for him. All I could do was be someone to fall back on, to trust.

"Well, when you want to talk to me, if you ever need to talk to me I'll be here." I said taking his hands away from his face and holding them reassuringly. He looked at me through sad eyes, something else besides his dream was troubling him, but maybe he'd hold it in and vent to me another day. I figured it was about Karai, and I knew I should give him time when it came to that subject. He missed her, simple as that.

"Thank you Alex." He said squeezing my hand then getting up to leave for the dojo. It was almost time for training, the others would be up soon. I walked back out into the hallway, Don emerged from his room. Smelling my coffee he took off for the kitchen. "Morning Don."

"Morning Alex." he said yawning. I walked into my room, the red masked ninja was still fast asleep. I walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. It had been two weeks since our kiss on the rooftop, I have to admit I think I fell a little bit more for Raph than I intended to. I looked down on him, he slept so peacefully. He'd occasionally move or twitch but other than that he was a silent sleeper. On the days where I used to wake up before him for training, I'd sometimes think he was dead.

"Wake up sleeping beauty" I whispered in his ear gently. I planted a kiss on his cheek and a grin crept onto his face. "I know you're awake Raph." I said poking him.

In the past two weeks Raph and I had gotten a lot closer, probably because we were comfortable around each other now that everything that needed to be said came out on the rooftop.

"No I'm not." He whispered rolling over on his side so his shell faced me.

"Don't start with me already Raphael." I said climbing up onto the bed hovering over him. "You're getting up right now."

"You're supposed to be sleeping right now, why are you up so early." He yawned.

"Couldn't sleep."

I was poking his sides now, in-between his shell and his plastron.

He swatted my hand away in an act of annoyance.

I wasn't playing around anymore, I pulled on his shell until he faced me, his eyes were closed pretending he was asleep. "Cute Raph, real cute." I said. "Guess I'll just have to go tell Splinter you just didn't want to train today."

He laid there unmoving, he though I was bluffing. "You're fault." I said as I walked out the door towards to dojo. I planted myself next to Sensei and watched the boys warm up. "Alex, you are up early? Where is my son Raphael?"

"Oh he's coming." I said smiling up at the Rat man. "I tried to wake him up but he just ignored me." I said trying to sound as helpless as possible. Eventually Raph came walking into the room, yawning. Splinter slammed his jade walking stick on the floor. "Raphael, you are late." He said in a stern tone.

"Sorry Sensei." Raph said taking a spot on the floor next to Mikey.

Splinter looked down at me. "What shall we have him do as punishment?" He was smirking. "I don't know Sensei. What do the others think." I said returning his smirk.

"Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello." Splinter said. "What punishment should Raphael get for being late." he said.

Mikey spoke up first. "Ooo! He should have to clean the bathrooms for a week!"

Raphael, who was seated next to his brother just shoved him over.

"And the kitchen!" Leo blurted out laughing.

"What about the dojo!?" Donnie added.

Splinter stroked his chin deep in thought. "What do you think Alex?" he said looking directly at Raphael, who was fuming in the corner.

"Hmmm, how about all three? And he has to take a shower, I can't stand sleeping in the same room as him when he reeks." I said winking at him.

"It is settled, Raphael, that is your punishment. For a week." Splinter then tapped his cane against the floor again to regain the attention of the brothers, who three of which, could not stop laughing.

After watching a few spars I got up to leave. I turned back right as Raphael threw his brother Mike to the ground. He caught my eye and put his fist in his hand, signaling I was gonna get it later. I just laughed it off. He couldn't hurt me in the physical condition I was in. Even if I was healed, I was equally matched in training as he was, if not better. I could take him down.

* * *

><p>Later that day when training was over everyone had decided it was time to relax before they got ready for their nightly patrol.<p>

"Guys! Come here now!" Donnie yelled from his lab.

They all went running, I was limited to a slight jog but I made it there in one piece.

"What's up Don?" I said clutching my stomach as I walked over to the computer screen everyone was gathered around. I tried looking over the shoulders of the brothers that stood in the way but it was useless. I crawled under their arms to get a peek at what was so important, then I saw it. Don had decoded some of the Kranng files he took form their last visit to TCRI. On the screen was a picture of the technodrone, and as I skimmed through the writing on the screen I got the jist of what was going down. The Kraang were invading soon. There was no set date, but it was set in stone that it was going to happen.

"We can't let this happen." Leo said.

Don spoke up. "There's no way to stop it, we can only prolong it. From the looks of these files we've already prolonged it before."

"What do you mean Donnie?" Raph asked.

"Our names are written all over these files. All the times we've broken into TCRI or did something against the kraang, it's all in here." Don said grimly.

"Cool!" Mikey yelled. "We're like wanted criminals in dimension X!"

"Not cool Mikey, they want us dead." Leo said looking over the screen.

"Well what are we gonna do?" I asked quietly.

"We? Alex, you're staying here even if something happens. You're too hurt to go topside with a danger like this." Don said, getting a nod in approval from Leo and Raph.

_I knew they'd say that._ I said in my head, silently cursing at Don.

"Can you pull out anymore information on the invasion?" Leo asked Donnie.

"I'll keep working to decode it. If I come across anything big I'll let you know." Don said typing away on his keyboard.

As we filled out of Donnie's lab I felt someone's hand grab my wrist pulling me back.

"Alex, whatever happens you have to say down here." I turned around to face my favorite pair of bright green eyes.

"I want to help!"

"The biggest help you'll be to us is if you stay here." His grip around my wrist softened but his eyes were harsh, he meant what he said.

"Raphael, this invasion, it's going to be bigger than anything you've ever faced before. You need all the help you can get." I said with pleading eyes.

"We have Casey and April."

"Two extra people wont make a difference, and if you've forgotten I have powers!" I said shooting snow in his face with my free hand

"You're not going with us Alex!" He said tightening his grip on my wrist again, wiping the snow away from his face. This time his hand dug in making the already sore bone feel like it was fracturing all over again. I wanted to cry out but I held it in, I couldn't let him know he was hurting me, that'd make his point not to let me go stronger.

My face betrayed me, he saw the pain welling up in my face and let me go abruptly. His facial expression softened. "Alex..I'm so sorry." He said gently.

"It's okay..." I said looking down. I was ashamed and embarrassed, I've always managed to tough it out through the worst pain. But I've never been hurt like this before. I've had broken bones, I've had cuts and bruises. But a giant scarring wound? Never, the pain from Anzo's claws ripping through managed to spread throughout my body, sending random shocks of pain. It caught me off guard the majority of the time.

Raphael was the only one who truly knew how much pain I was in. I often woke up at night with the random waves of overbearing pain. He'd come and lay with me until I calmed down enough to fall asleep again. I never actually wake up when this happens, I'm almost in a trance. I can't see anything or say anything, I can only groan in pain. I can feel though. I feel the warmth of Raphael's body as he holds me telling me to take it easy. He wraps his arms around me to stop my body from violently thrashing around, and hurting myself more. He'll talk to me until I fall asleep or calm down. When I calm down, he climbs back into his bed only because he doesn't want his brothers to find him in the morning in my bed. I thank him everyday for this.

"Alex?" Raphael said quietly looking at me.

"yeah?" I said rubbing my wrist where his hand just almost fractured it for a second time.

"Promise me you wont do anything stupid when this invasion happens, if I lost you..." He looked off to his side trying to prevent his sentence form being finished. He truly cared about me, and the thought of losing me scared him. I felt the same way. I worry every night when they go out on patrol, I worry that he'll come back with wounds as bad as mine, or that his brothers will be carrying him through the tunnels unconscious, or even that he wont return at all.

I cupped his face in my hand. "Don't worry about me. I'll be safe." I said trying to reassure him even though I had no intentions of hiding in the shadows while an alien invasion threatened to take over the city. And with that I kissed his cheek and walked back to the bedroom to get some sleep. When I got to the room I shut the door and laid down on the bed. I looked over at my nodachi that hung on the wall next to my bo staff. I could be a huge help to the brothers, I had powers for god's sake! They probably forgot since I hadn't had the need to use them in a while.

I held my hand out in front of me, I closed my eyes, working my mind. I opened my eyes and water appeared hovering just an inch above my hand in the shape of a ball. I held the ball of water in my two hands and watched as it swirled around, twirling and dancing in my palms. I then threw my hands up, shooting the water into the air, It stayed in ball form for a while, just floating around above me. I watched it for a minute, remembering just how beautiful my powers could be, but also deadly under the right circumstances. I twirled my finger around in circles making the ball of water mimic my movement. I stared at it, watching it move thinking about how I was going to help, because I was, no doubt.

I could sneak out after they left, they'd probably be taking the shellraiser. I would sneak out of one of the manholes after they left and stay invisible while I maneuvered the rooftops. I'd used my powers to take out whatever I could find that was kraang all while staying hidden behind my invisibility. _Yes! This could work!_ I thought in my head. _But just how deadly can my powers be?_

I looked up at the hovering ball of water.

_Ice_. My mind sent out a message to the ball of water.

The water turned to shards of icicles, raining down around me. Before they could make contact with the floor I held them where they were with my mind, then willed them to form back into water and evaporate.

I smiled to myself, I could handle myself topside. I was not someone to be messed with, but I didn't know how my powers would respond to anger or the feeling of being threatened.

_This could work._ I thought.

I rolled over in my bed pulling my blankets with me. Now all I could do was wait.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you liked this chapter, thank you for everyone who's been reviewing my story I really appreciate it!(: if you have any questions or comments you can leave them in the reviews or message me. Btw, I know I haven't shown a lot of scenes with Alex and her powers, it's hard to write about her influence over the elements and put it into context but I'll keep trying to bring it out more and more. Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13 : Christmas

Chapter Thirteen.

I woke up to screaming, I instantly shot up in my bed regretting the action because of the pain that jolted up my body from my now healing scar. It took me a few moments to realize the scream were Mikey's.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP IT'S CHRISTAMS!" he yelled down the halls opening up everyone's doors. When he got to Raph's and I room he opened the door up slowly, knowing that his brother could be easily angered. The doorway flooded with light and I had to squint my eyes to let them adjust. When his task was accomplished he trotted away happily, humming popular Christmas tunes.

I watched out the doorway for anymore oncoming traffic while slowly getting out of bed. I watched Leo stroll by rubbing his eyes trying to wake up, then April walked by with her arms both full of trays of cookies.

"Good morning Sunshine." A voice called from behind me. Suddenly strong green arms were wrapped around my torso lifting me gently into the air.

"Someone's in a good mood." I said as he let me back on the floor but not out of his embrace.

"It's Christmas numb skull." He said leading me out the door.

We walked hand in hand until we got to the edge of the hallway, there in the middle of the makeshift living room was a tree, fully decorated and beaming with life. Under it's branches was a small pile of gifts, each labeled to a different person. I looked over at Raph who was smirking at his brother's overjoy. Mikey was running around itching to get at the presents.

"Can we please start now!?" Mikey asked Splinter. Master Splinter just shook his head, "We must wait until the whole family is together."

"Awwe, but Don's gonna take forever!"

As if on queue, Donnie emerged from his lab, bags under his eyes and slightly slouching. He must've been up all night trying to find out more about the invasion. In a flash April was beside him with a coffee mug in hand, he happily accepted it and kissed her on the forehead. They fell in step together and joined the rest of the family around the tree.

"Casey's celebrating Christmas with his folks so he said he'd be down later." April said, hinting to Mikey that everyone was here. With that Mikey started handing out gifts. I watched as Leo carefully opened a small gift wrapped in Santa covered paper. April has generously donated the wrapping paper to Master Splinter and even helped him wrap some of the gifts. I saw them locked away in the dojo for a few hours the other day.

Leo received knew holders for his katanas, for his gift. He looked at them in awe, thanking Splinter for it. The next to receive was Donnie, gently opening his gift he shrieked in joy and hugged April, I only assumed it was something sciencey. April looked proud of herself for picking out such a great gift for Don.

Mikey opened a fairly small package in rectangular form, it was the latest zombies video game, Casey had gotten it for him. What happened was about a week ago we all got to pic from a hat who we had to buy gifts for. I luckily got Casey, I had rebelliously snuck out with April one night to go to the nearest sorting goods store and bought Casey a new hockey stick and helmet. We managed to sneak back in right before the guys got done with their late night training sessions. Splinter had them doing two-a-days since he heard about the upcoming invasion.

My gift to Casey was still in my room, I'd give it to him later when he came down to visit.

Donnie handed a small wrapped box to Sensei, when he unwrapped it I found out it was tea, Splinters favorite kind. _Nice move Don_, I thought in my head.

Raph and April had started opening their gifts too, April got a new sweater from Mikey and Raph got a set of manriki, weighted chains , though not lethal, very deadly in skilled hands. For once Raphael smiled at Leo and pulled him into and embrace, though instead of hearing the words thank you I heard a few other derogatory names for Leo. Typical Raph.

I was the only one left, Mikey slowly approached me with hi hands behind his back grinning from ear to ear. "Since this is your first Christmas with us we got you something special." Leo said smiling at me from across the room.

"We all pitched in and helped Don with it." Added April also smiling at me while resting her head on Don's plastron.

"You guys shouldn't have!" I said looking around the room at them.

"Here you go Alex! Hope you like it!" Mikey said handing me the medium sized box wrapped in paper that had candy canes splotched all over. I stared down into my hands, after a few seconds of trying to guess what it could be I started carefully pulling the tape off the sides unraveling my gift. I opened the box, looking down into the contents inside. There in the box lay a helmet, resembling that of a motorcycle helmet with the eye protector and everything. When Donnie saw my confused expression he explained to me that the helmet had been a prototype for many years, it was mean to be a means of communication between the brothers if they had ever decided not to fight as a team. When the helmets were deemed unnecessary the prototype sat on the shelf for many years collecting dust. When I had came around insisting to go on missions and nightly patrol the helmet came back off the shelf. Donnie remodeled it and modified it, putting in a police scanner, communications and thermal scanner. It also was able to relay information onto the screen of the eye visor.

"But I thought I was banned from missions until I was healed." I said looking at him.

He looked around the room uneasily. Leo spoke for him. "Donnie's been doing research on the invasion, it's going to be bigger than anything we've been put through before."

"We're going to need as many people as possible Alex." Don said looking at me.

Of course. The helmet was for the invasion. I looked down into the box where the helmet had been laying. Under the tissue paper there were small knives I could hook in the notches of my Nodachi's strap, along with throwing stars. I looked up at the family before me, they were all looking at me with hopeful eyes, this was their way of saying I was going out with them for the first time since they found me dead in that alley way. I was getting out of these sewers. A choked laugh escaped me and I lept into Leo's arms seeing Raphael tense up at the sight. "Thank you so much, I wont let you down." I whispered into his ear. He was after all the leader who called the shots, he was the one letting me go. He seemed shocked at my gesture, but he was the first one to accept me, we had a special bond.

"There's one more thing for you Alex." Mikey said handing me a small wooden box.

"This one was all Mike's idea." Raph said nodding for me to open it.

Mikey was beaming in front of me. I slowly opened the lid, I gasped when I looked inside. There were countless candid's (Photo's) of the guys caught off guard, I looked through them smiling at each one. There was one where someone had managed to catch Raph in a fit of rage coming towards the camera sias out and everything. Another was a shot of Mikey and I playing zombies looking fully concentrated. As I flipped through the pictures I realized most of these shots were caught off guard, with only a few staged. it truly brought out just how amazing life was down here. It showed each and every little quirk of the brothers in their own light. As I reached the bottom there was one last picture. It had all of us in the picture, even master splinter. I remember that day, April had set a timer on her phone and insisted that everyone get in the picture. It was somewhat of a goofy shot. I had managed to climb up on Leo's back, April was throwing up a peace sign as Donnie shyly stared at her, cheeks flushed. Mikey laid down in front posing like a model as Casey mirrored him. Raph stood off to the side in his signature pose, arms crossed face looking slightly irritated. Master Splinter stood in the middle of all the chaos, just simply smiling with both hands on his jade cane. It was taken back when I first arrived here and I was closer to Leo, and hated Raph's guts.

I turned the picture over in my hands, on the back it said just a few words scrawled out in black ink.

"Thank you for being part of our family, we love you."

A single tear rolled down my cheek as I pressed the picture to my heart. "thank you guys so much." I said trying not to sound to choked up. The truth is these people were my family, family had nothing to do with blood, it's who you choose and who accepts you. Over this limited time I've spent with this group I've thanked God a million times for leading me here. This family was my refuge, they saved me. I owed them my life.

Raphael came up behind me and put a reassuring hand on my back. "You okay?" He said

"Yeah." I said putting the pictures back into the box.

* * *

><p>I watched Leo and Raph spar for a while with Raph's new toy until I got bored and walked back to my room. I went straight to my bed sitting down beside the helmet I got for Christmas. My hands went straight for it and before I knew what I was doing I had it on. As if by putting it on it hummed to life, The screen coming to life with jumbles of words and images until it set up completely and went blank waiting for further commands. I jumbled around with controls for a bit until I found the police scanner.<p>

"Code purple, we have code purple reported on Smith Ave, gonna need someone to go check it out."

I had learned police codes from living in my apartment doing research. code purple was gang activity.

I turned off the volume of the scanner and took the helmet off resting it back down beside me.

Laying own to face the ceiling I twirled my finger around and it started snowing, I let the cold flakes fall on my face, the feeling was intoxicating, I had not felt snowfall on my skin for a while. Even when I snuck out with April to get Casey's gift it was only windy, no snow. I smiled at the memories of catching snowflakes on my tongue with my mother when I was little, and making snow angles with my uncle.

A sudden knock on the door made me lose concentration and the snow dispersed. "Come in!" I shouted.

"Casey's here!' April said giving me the signal to bring out his gift.

I walked down the hall returning to the couches and Christmas tree sitting down next to Casey.

"Hey Case, I gotcha something." I said smiling handing him over the hockey stick and mask.

"Awesome! thanks Al!" he said nudging me with his elbow. I watched as Casey pushed around a puck on the lair floor with his new stick beaming. I took out the picture of all of us together again and stroked over the glossy photo with my fingertips. I loved them, and I wasn't going to lose them in this invasion. Tomorrow, I's start training again, starting off little and building up. I couldn't let them down now.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What do you think? It's starting to get harder and harder to write these chapters building up to the invasion, but I promise it's coming! Also I'm horrible at writing the romance part of this story so bear with me. I have a lot of stuff planned for Raph, and Alex's relationship. Review, review, review! Please! I love reading them!**

**Thanks for reading!(:**


	14. Chapter 14 : No Matter What

_Before I start this chapter I'd just like to say thank you to anyone who has stuck with this story since chapter one. I don't know how you did it, I know the story isn't that great but thanks anyway for all you're support and reviews! They're all really helpful and they push me to finish the story(: So with that, lets get to it._

* * *

><p>Chapter Fourteen.<p>

I circled my opponent, he was watching me carefully with his striking blue eyes. I watched as they analyzed me, waiting for my next move. I spun my bo-staff in my hand effortlessly and pointed it at him. I narrowed in my eyes on his katana, his hand twitched as if getting agitated I wasn't making my attack. I gave him a half grin and I ran toward him staff pointed at his chest. Instead of dodging me he held his ground and caught my staff between his two katanas forcing me backwards. A sharp pain shot up through my chest from my wound that still resonated on my stomach, it was scarring over now, but at times it'd let me know it was still there. I huffed out a long breath trying to ignore the pain.

This time he came at me, one katana drawn aimed right at me. I shuffled to the side swinging my staff to connect with his knees, I expected him to fall but he just rolled back up on his feet smirking at me. It was hard getting back in the swing of training, while still being injured.

I ran at him again, waiting for him to snag my staff with his katana, I felt the sword sink into the wood of the staff and I twisted my bo-staff as fast and as hard as my strength could muster. I watched as Leo's trusted sword went flying through the air in-between Don, and Mikey's heads then reluctantly hit the wall and fell to the ground with a clang. When I looked back at Leo, for the first time since I've met him he looked in shock, trying to figure out what just happened. I saw an advantage and I took it, I twirled the staff in my hand before striking Leo with it, sending him to the ground. As he laid on the ground, I walked over beside him and poked his sides with my staff. "Who's next?" I said teasingly.

As I walked back to Master Splinter I got slaps on the back, and high-fives from the seated brothers who witnessed the takedown of their leader. "Alex, that was very impressive for your first time back." Splinter said as he eyed me with a smile.

"Thank you Sensei."

"Perhaps that is enough for you today? You mustn't forget you have wounds that need healing." He said looking at my hand that clutched my stomach.

"Hai, Sensei."

I turned to walk out of the dojo and into the kitchen when a hand stopped me. I turned around to face the blue clad turtle, looking me over to make sure he hadn't harmed me in our spar. "Alex, are you alright?" He asked

"Yes Leo, and you shouldn't go easy on my just because I'm supposed to be healing." I said giving him a reassuring look.

"Alright, just making sure." He said resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks." I said looking over his shoulder at his two brothers who were now engaged in a spar, grunting and jabbing at each other. I laughed at the way Donnie taunted Raph as they fought, only enraging him more.

"You'll be back for tonight's training too, right?"

"Yeah, If Splinter lets me. Watch out though, you might get your ass kicked by a cripple again." I said smirking at him. He just shook his head and turned to re-join Mikey on the side of the dojo.

* * *

><p>The decorations had come down from Christmas, the tree had been brought up and left in an alleyway somewhere. I walked back to my room through the barren living room, stopping to pick up left over clutter from cleanup. As I entered my room I turned on the lights and shut the door, changing into regular clothes. I had worn my typical leggings and hoodie for training and they were all sweaty. I threw them into a pile at the edge of my bed, making a mental note to ask April to do my laundry for me sometime. I hauled on an oversized sweater and an old holey pair of skinny jeans. I slipped on a pair of fuzzy boots and sat down on my bed for a moment, to let my breath catch up with me.<p>

I looked down at the box that rested bedside my feet and picked it up letting it sit in my lap. I carefully took out the helmet Donnie had made for me, _I can't believe I'm actually going topside for the invasion._ I was overjoyed and terrified at the same time. Anzo was gone, but the kraang were still out there and they wanted something from me. Something not even Don could find out, even in all the files he downloaded from TCRI he couldn't find anything. I slipped on the helmet and it hummed to life, I adjusted the knob on the side of the helmet for the volume to the police scanner and listened for any activity.

"Code 59 down in china town by the old fortune cookie factory, suspected purple dragons."

"Okay, we're sending out another patrol to check it out."

"Copy."

Code 59...I racked my memory for the meaning. It was criminal mischief, and of course it was the purple dragons. I kept listening to the static as numerous calls went back and forth, one stuck out to me after I had been listening for about five minutes.

"We have a 261A, repeat 261A, suspect around the age of twenty two, is not speaking."

"Victim?"

"We're trying to get her to talk, pretty shaken up."

"Alright bring him in for questioning."

261A was attempted rape, something I used to come across all the time when I patrolled by myself before I met the turtles. It was brutal, watching these girls lay helpless underneath these men, sometimes it was kids doing this to other kids and it made me sick. I was able to stop almost all of them I came across, but I only patrolled a small portion of the huge city. I knew more of them were out there that I couldn't help, I tried to tell myself the police showed up, or even a bystander walking the sidewalks.

I missed patrolling by myself, it gave me an escape. I could do anything I wanted, but now I followed under the orders of Master Splinter and Leo. Even when I went on patrols with the brothers it wasn't the same. I had to fall in line every time, never able to overstep my boundaries or do things my way. At the same time though I was grateful for a family, and that's all that mattered now, making sure I didn't lose them.

I slid off the helmet and placed it back in it's box. I knew the guys were out of training by now, and had probably all gathered in Don's lab waiting for an update.

* * *

><p>"Are you crazy! we're not even ready yet!"<p>

"Leo, I can't control when it happens, you knew it could've been anytime!"

"Don, Leo, calm down! What else does it say?"

I stood outside the doors to Don's lab listening to the brothers arguments. Apparently something had come up. I slid through the doors unnoticed and lingered in the back for a while.

"There are thousands of kraang lined up in dimension x, they're going to come through portals once the invasion starts. There's nothing we can do to stop it guys."

"And this is all happening this week?"

"That's what it says." Don said resting his head in his hands.

"Mikey, get ahold of April and Casey, let them know." said Leo.

"How are we going to stop them? I mean, we've never had to go up against anything like this before." Said Don shaking his head, still in his hands.

"We're going to have to give them everything we've got, plus we have April, Casey and Alex to help."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Alex? She's not ready to go topside. I wont let you take her on this mission she'll get hurt." Raph said to Leo.

"Agreed" Don said looking to Leo.

"We all agreed she'd be fine to help out." he shot back

"That was when we all assumed the invasion wouldn't be for another month Leo." Raph said getting in his face, Leo just pushed him back.

"We need as many people as possible and she's ready, did you see her this morning? She took me down." he said shooting back at Raph.

"Leo, she's still healing, chances are she'll get hurt even worse if she goes topside." Said Don.

"If you guys saw what I see in her, you'd know she's been dying to get out of here, she needs this. She's strong and she can handle herself, I know she can."

I was touched by Leo's words, and he was right. I was ready to get out and go topside. To feel the sweet sting winter chill on my face, and run along the rooftops once more, even if it would be my last time. I had a possibility of dying out there, we all did.

"Leo, I see that flame in her too, but she's delicate. We all know what it feels like to lose her. Hell, she's been lifeless in my arms before, and that nearly killed me, killed us. If we lose her out there we'll lose her forever this time, no miracles."

Raphael was right, but I was going to risk my life to protect my family. I stepped out of the shadows, finally revealing myself. "I'm going no matter what" I got surprised looks form the brothers as they realized I had been there for a while. "I know I'm injured just hear me out. I have powers, I have weapons, and I have been trained for fighting my whole life. I may not be prepared, but neither are any of you. We go together, as a family and nobody gets left behind."

"But Ale-"

"No I'm going, if you leave me here I can find my way out on my own. Don't you realize? I'm fighting no matter what."

"Alex, your cut. It's not properly healed all the way." Said Don looking at me worriedly.

"Don't worry about my cut right now, It's deep but it's healing, I'm healing. It's be wrong to leave me here when I can be a big help to you all."

"She's right bros, we need her." Said Mikey, who hadn't spoken up the entire time.

"No." said Raph glaring at me.

"Try and stop me." I said smirking, then turned and walked out the doors. I was going no matter what, and now that the invasion was coming, just a few days away I had to get ready. I walked to the dojo and took my nodachi down from where it hung on the wall. I strapped the holder around my back and slowly slid out the sword. I listened for any footsteps, signaling a brother was coming after me, particularly Raphael. When I heard silence I figured he was arguing with Leo in Don's lab still.

I held my sword with both of my hands and ran through the basics, just stepping and swinging. Then started getting more into it. I would step swing and twirl to face the other way, still swinging. When my uncle had taught me these moves, it always reminded me of the old movies scenes where the two armored men fought, trying to see who could kill their opponent first. I mastered sword handling easily when I was younger, graduating the highest skill level at only age ten.

I must've been in the dojo for over an hour, because Master Splinter found me and called me to the kitchen for his mid-day tea. I always joined him, finding that I was the only other one of the family to enjoy tea like Splinter did. When he found me I was covered in sweat from practicing with my nodachi, he looked at me worriedly and waved me over to the kitchen.

I sat across from him as he poured the steaming water into my mug. I twirled the tea bag around in the water for a few minutes watching the water go from clear to a light honey brown color.

"I am worried about my sons Alex." Splinter confessed to me.

"Why sensei?" I asked.

"They've grown restless over this talk of an invasion. They think they have to train constantly, and it's getting to them. I can see the tiredness in their eyes. It does not help that Leonardo has been having nightmares again."

"I think they need a break, maybe you should give them training off tonight?"

"Perhaps..." He stroked his chin.

I sipped on my tea, the warmth made me relax a bit. The sweet taste of honey flooded my senses and I could feel my heartbeat slowing down.

"You should hear how they argue over you Alex, two on two, one side needs your help the other side refuses to let you." He said almost chuckling.

"If I may ask? What do you think Master Splinter?"

"I think the choice is yours. I see both sides, you are injured, facing more injury if you go...but you are ready, you're spirit makes you long for the world outside. The way you handle that nodachi...I've never seen someone so in touch with their weapon...not even Leonardo."

I just smiled at him. "Thank you Sensei."

"You are welcome, my daughter." He said smiling at me as he exited the kitchen going back to his room to meditate.

* * *

><p>I walked out into the living room to find the boys getting ready for their nightly training.<p>

"No training tonight guys!" I said trying to get their attention.

"Oh thank God!" Mikey said crashing on the couch turning the tv on.

Don just dropped his bo-staff and took a seat next to Mikey leaning his head on the back of the couch falling asleep.

"Are you sure?" Leo said looking at me.

"Splinters orders." I smiled at him.

"Movie night!" Mikey yelled and scrambled over to his stash of movies lended to him by April. He plucked out a comedy and popped it into the dvd player. When the movie popped up on the screen he clicked play and returned to his seat on the couch. I walked over to the other couch, grabbed a blanket and snuggled up. Leo sat across form me on the bean-bag chair and drifted in and out of sleep.

Suddenly I felt the couch cushion move and realized Raphael had sat down next to me, his eyes on the tv screen. "You're not going with us." he said, eyes still on the screen.

"Whatever you say." I said cuddling up under his arm. He pulled me in tighter and pulled the blanket up around my shoulders scrunching my knees up to my chest and leaning my head on his plastron. I didn't know when the invasion was coming. It could be tomorrow morning or two days away. I thought about what April said, about how if I wasn't there when the van left for her farmhouse they would be forced to leave without me. I knew there was a chance I'd be left in the city, it was a chance I was willing to take to protect them. I wanted to make a difference this time, to actually save the people I loved instead of watching them get killed.

I traced my hand along Raph's arm that was draped over my shoulder. _You can't lose him._ I told myself. _Do anything you can to protect him._

I felt my eyelids getting heavy and I drifted off into a deep sleep along with the brothers. We needed our sleep for whatever lie ahead of us.

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><p><strong>AN: Again thank you for everyone who's stuck it out this long into this never ending storyline. I appreciate it and love you guys! I tried to put more emphasis on the invasion in this chapter, showing scenes of Alex getting ready for it with her sword and training. I love reading your guy's reviews and what you have to say. Please, review, review, review! I'm sorry if this story is dragging out, but I have big plans for it's future. Also, I've been sick for the past week and have been loaded up on homework from school, it might take a while to get chapters out. **

**Thanks for reading!(:**


	15. Chapter 15 : Part One

_**A/N: This is where the T rating comes in, some very BRIEF language and heated romance, nothing rated M though, You've been warned now, don't be shocked. (; Thanks for reading, and enjoy.**_

Chapter Fifteen. Part One.

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><p>I woke up alone on the couch in the living room alone, completely alone. The guys were no where in sight, and when I looked at the digital clock that sat atop the television it flashed 10:00 a.m. They must've woken up for training without even bothering to let me know. I sat up and stretched out my arms and legs yawing in the process. Another day, another grueling morning.<p>

I walked to the kitchen, dragging my feet to the stove where I proceeded to boil a kettle of water for tea. I sat down at the table waiting for the whistling of the kettle to signal the water was at boiling temperature. As I sat I listened in for the always present noises of the dojo, meaning the guys were sparring. I could hear a mix of voices, some yelling, others simply grunting as they attacked their opponent.

I looked over to the stove where the kettle was now steaming, and I quickly shut the stove off and poured the water into my mug. Steam rolled up into my face making me even more tired. _Maybe you should've just_ _had coffee. _Yeah I probably should've, today would prove to be an eventful day, awaiting the invasion, and trying to fit training in all while persisting to magically heal my ever present wounds. I lifted up my shirt studying the stiches that seemed to be helping scar tissue develop, Don said he could take them out today after training. I looked at the clock, that was any minute now. I traced the long gash along my abdomen running soft fingertips over the raised tissue where a mutated claw bore it's way through my stomach. I shuddered at the memory.

"Hey Alex, I wasn't expecting you to be up until at least 12." A voice came from behind me, I quickly lowered my shirt and turned to greet the familiar voice. It was Mikey, standing slumped over yet offering me a wide smile.

"Hey Mikey, How was training?"

"Ughh, talk about brutal, Leo's been pushing us for the invasion and it's really wearin me out."

"Want some tea? the water's still hot. Maybe it'll make you feel better." I said gesturing to the kettle still on the stove.

"No thanks, I think a nap is in place though." he said as he walked out of the kitchen to his room, shutting the door behind him.

I turned back to my tea shrugging my shoulders, I took a sip and set the mug back down. Still too hot.

"Any left for me?" Came another voice from behind. I didn't even bother turning around to see who it was, I already knew.

"Yeah, you have to pour it yourself though." I said shooting little snowflakes through my fingertips into my steaming tea in an attempt to cool it down.

Leo walked over to the cabinet to grab a mug and poured himself tea, plopping down in a chair across from me.

"Mikey says you've been pushing everyone a lot harder."

"Yeah, well it's not everyday and invasion threatens to take over the city you live in." He lightly chuckled.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked staring into my honey colored tea.

"Are you ready?" he retorted back at me. I looked up at him this time, taking in the tired expression in his eyes.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Don's taking out the stitches today."

"He said this morning he would. You know he doesn't think you're ready to go topside yet?"

"Yeah...I heard your guy's little argument yesterday. Remember?"

"That's right. I forgot you snuck in on us." Me said giving me a smirk.

"Thank you for what you said about me, about how I'm ready. I feel like you're the only one who's got my back here and takes into consideration what I want."

"Well we were almost best friends for a while, then-" he stopped himself, but I knew what he wanted to say. "_Then Raphael came along and you forgot all about me."_

The truth was, I missed having that special bond with Leo, even if he thought of me a more than a friend. He took me under his wing, letting me cry on his shoulder. But now, with my relationship with Raph, things could never be the same. I saw the way Raphael flaunted our status to Leo. The superior look of dominance, the "I got the girl." kind of look. I couldn't have both relationships, even if one was just strictly friends. the brothers butted heads over everything, I would rip them apart for good if I ever did that. I chose Raph because I saw the way he looked at me, and I looked at him the same way, an overwhelming passion and need for him drove me insane until I finally told him how I felt. When Leo caught wind of what was going on between Raphael and I he backed off, trying his best to ignore me or shorten our conversations when Raph was around. It ripped my heart out when he walked in on Raphael and I kissing one evening, the hurt look in his eyes made me want to bash my head off a wall. I can't believe how bad I tore Leo apart.

But deep down I knew there was still a spark somewhere, we were meant to be best friends to share that amazing bond between two people. I saw glimpses of hope in his eyes from time to time, but as soon as Raph walked in on our conversations the hope was gone, replaced by envy, and even sometimes rage, but other times sadness. I think that's why Raph let's us talk to each other on occasion, he see's how Leo looks at me and doesn't want to hurt his brother anymore than he already has, trying to repay him, by allowing our rendezvous.

I looked across the table at Leonardo, studying his eyes and the way his hands slip nervously over the countertop. The invasion was making him even more stressed than he already was.

"Maybe you should get some rest, I'll wake you up if we need you." I said resting a stable hand on his.

"Alright, maybe I should. Thanks." He said giving me a warm smile drawing his hand back from mine and exiting out the kitchen door to the rooms.

By then my tea was almost gone and had became luke warm, making me sick. I could only drink it if it was hot. I rinsed it out on the sink and walked down to Don's lab where I assumed he would be waiting for me. I pushed open the big doors revealing the mad scientists lab. It always reminded me of the labs in some of the horror movies, there was always a chemical somewhere, whether it be oozing or steaming over it's flask.

"Donnie?"

"Over here!" he yelled out. I had barely seen him over all the papers and metal parts on his desk.

"You're doing my stitches today. Remember?"

"Oh yes! Come over here."

I walked cautiously to his desk, next to his desk was a long bench, usually used for stitching up his brothers after a fight, but today I'd use it.

"If you could just lay down on that bench and I'll be right over."

"Alright." I walked over to the bench and laid down on it, following his orders. I turned my head to see what he was doing. "Still sifting through the kraang files?" I asked as he watched his monitor with wide eyes.

"Just checking for any updates." he rolled his chair over to where I laid down, it actually felt like I was at the doctors, well what I remember of the doctors. usually my Uncle took care of me.

Don carefully lifted up my shirt to where the gash began, I felt my face flush a little n embarrassment then told myself it was just Don, taking out my stitches.

"It seems to have scarred over pretty well. Any pain?"

"Not really, I mean it comes and goes but other than that, no."

"Well that's good." he started taking the first stitches out. I winced as I felt them pulled through my skin, it didn't hurt that much, it just made my skin crawl.

"Did you see where Raph went?" I hadn't seen Raph after training and he didn't seek me out, making me wonder what he was up to.

"He stayed in the dojo to work out some more, typical Raph."

"Of course." I said trying to push a smile.

He was now to the middle section of my stomach. I winced again as he pulled the stitch through my skin.

"Have you heard from April lately?" I asked trying to break the bits of silence in-between small talk.

"Yeah, she hasn't been down lately because she's working on some big project for school. She'll be down tomorrow if the invasion hasn't already started by then." you could tell by his voice he was worried about April. Probably one of the reason he didn't want me to go topside. He knew how Raph felt, about me and the invasion, he didn't want April putting herself in any line of fire either.

"Sensing his sudden change of mood I tried to steer him back on course. "I'm sure she'll be fine Donnie, she's strong and knows how to fight."

"You're right, but I'm just scared."

"Aren't we all."

Minutes passed and neither of us said a word, I kept my gaze focused on the ceiling of the sewers and listened to the hum of Don's monitor.

"All done!" He cheered happily, covering my stomach back up with my shirt.

"Thanks Don." I said resting my hand on his shoulder and giving him a little squeeze. "If you ever need anything, let me know." I said reassuring him.

"Same to you." he said smiling at me warmly.

* * *

><p>I must've been watching TV for hours on end because eventually, nightly training came around with no word whatsoever on the invasion. "So much for an eventful day" I mumbled to myself, lifting my aching body up off the couch. I walked to the dojo, grabbing my sword off the wall and taking my spot next to Mikey, and Raph, who where watching Leo, and Donnie spar.<p>

"Five bucks on Leo in the first two minutes."

"You're on." the brothers shook hands in front of me and I just laughed lightly.

"You guys have no faith in your brother."

"How can we when he had a stick to defend himself." Raph shot at me. Crossing his arms over his chest and giving me his signature "what are you gonna do about it?" look.

"Just remember that it was a stick that took down your guys' fearless leader the other day." I said gloating.

"Pshhh whatever." Raph said turning back to the fight to see Donnie now running at Leo. I dozed off before I could see what happened. I always tried to focus in training, but today was just so boring I couldn't help but let my mind wander. When I woke back up from my little day dream Donnie was on the ground and Leo was helping him up. Next up was Raph against Mikey. Typical sparring day, Raph won and I took on the two losers, Mike and Don at the same time. With my nodachi I effortlessly disarmed both the brothers and won, it was so pathetic, everyone wanted to go easy on me because of my wounds. I frustratingly hung my sword up on the wall and walked back to my room without talking to any of them.

Three knocks fell on the door and before I could protest the turtle in red strolled in with that stupid smirk on his face.

"What's up with you today? break a nail?"

"Ha. ha." I said sarcastically back.

He came over and sat down on my bed that I was standing over, looking up at me.

"Seriously, why'd you storm out though."

I sighed. "No one takes me seriously anyone, they're letting me win everyday at practice just because I'm still healing. I want an actual fight, not some pussy shit." I was shocked at my own language, and burst out laughing at my choice of words, they sounded so foreign in my mouth.

"Well, that's new." Raph said smirking at me.

"Sorry." I said muffling a laugh. In an instant I was pulled onto his lap, held in his arms. A habit of mine was to let my fingers glide over his scaly arms, but instead I looked up at his face, eye's bright green looking back down at me. "Don't be sorry, it's hot when you're mad." he said smirking. I couldn't resist anymore I leaned into him and felt our lips touch. He sliped his hands to my waist and I hooked mine around the back of his neck.

He pulled away for a minute leacing a confused look on my face. "Alex, I don't want to lose you when this invasion comes."

"I know." I said leaning back into him, but he put his hand up to block me.

"Alex, I can't lose you. Don't go with us , save yourself." For some reason Raph had it set in his mind there was a very large chance one of his brothers would not be making it out alive, if not all of them.

"I know you'll come back to me Raph." I said seeing the worry in his eyes.

He stroked my hair burying his face in my neck giving me little kisses that sent shivers down my spine. Then he brought his face back up to my eye-level and looked me dead in the eye. His green eyes almost glowed in the dark of the room and I felt myself getting lost in them.

"I know, I just need to know you'll come back to me."

I lowered my head into the crook of his neck taking a deep breath. Taking chances like this, you never knew the outcome. So easily a life could be lost whenever this invasion hits. Hell it could come an hour from now. All the preparing in the world couldn't help us now, we were amateurs going into a war not knowing our fates. One of us if not all could end up in the arms of the enemy, letting the city fall to an evil race of aliens. This time, I would put the city before myself, making sure I gave it my all. I would make a difference, I vowed to.

I lifted my head back up to Raph, why was looking off into the corner of the room thinking about something. I cupped his cheek in the palm of my hand. "Raphael, look at me."

He looked, his green eyes tired, and heavy almost putting a weight on me. "I love you."

I finally said it, those words you could never take back. The very force that held two people together for eternity. I looked at him that night, almost as if it were the first time I were seeing him. I took him in, green scales and all. I saw the way the bones in his face were angled, and the way his muscles rippled even through the simplest movements. I watched his green eyes flicker, the greenest eye's I've ever seen before. I traced his muscles under my palm, closing my eyes to take in how human he felt, when I got to his hands I laid my hands across them. Three fingers to five, I didn't care what he looked like, a monster to the world but normal in my eyes. I looked at him through a knew light. He was the most temperamental of the group, but had a soft side when it came to certain things. He was caring deep down, and I knew he really loved his brothers, even under all the rage. Maybe he could even love me.

His strong arms wrapped around my torso drawing me in. My long hair draped around my shoulders now fell over his also, tickling his neck. He leaned in until our faces were almost touching. "I love you too."

I felt myself able to breathe again, I must've been holding my breath. I choked out a quiet laugh and caught his lips with mine. He returned the gesture kissing me back with that anger and rage buried within him. I loved how aggressive he could get, it was just part of who he was. As our kisses deepened my hands wandered, feeling my way around his strange and foreign body. I traced the crack in his shell with my nail, it must've been a sensitive spot because I felt him shudder. I found my way up to the back of his neck, tugging at his mask's tails. As I went to untie his mask I felt two large hands stop me.

"Alex, no."

"Why not?"

"You don't get it, my mask is the only thing making me look less of a monster. If I take it off...you'll see how much of a freak I really am."

"I think, everyone has a little bit of monster in them, don't you think." I said resting my head by his neck once more. I started leaving soft kisses on his neck, and when I head him let out a gentle sigh I took a chance and slowly untied his mask. I gripped it in my hand and lifted my head to get a glimpse of him. he had his eyes closed, almost awaiting screams of terror. Instead I stroked my hand along the side of his face, when he opened his eyes I sat in shock.

If anything his mask was holding back the true beauty of the creature before me. His eyes burned through the darkness of the room, even brighter than they had been before with the mask on. His face looked more angelic, and structured when left completely naked. I planted a gentle kiss on his temple, my sign of acceptance. Then he kissed he for once. I let myself melt into his embrace, as my heart felt like it could pound right out if my chest at any minute.

An hour later I found myself dozing in and out of sleep in Raphael's embrace in his bed. It was almost as if I was in a dream. One of those perfect dreams you could stay in forever. But like all dreams it had to come to an end with a brutal wake up call.

I heard yelling coming from down the hallway, it had to be close to ten at night. I quickly shot up in bed, shaking Raph to get his attention but he was already wide awake. Somehow we both knew what the sudden outburst was from. It had started, and we were far from ready.

"GUYS GET OUT HERE!" A voice boomed from the halls.

Raph jumped over me landing on his feet on the floor of his room, he wrapped one arm around my waist and helped me out of bed We both ran out of the room eyes wide from all the yelling. In the hallways stood three brothers, and two average teenagers, all in their sleeping attire. Then there was me, limping my way into the crowd wearing my galaxy pj's. If you were to look at us at a glance, we were just a bunch of teens going to face the biggest battle of our lives. There's really not much more to it than that.

Everything in those minutes seemed to slow down immensely it's almost as if everything was happening in slow motion. Then it hit me, adrenaline pumping through my veins. After it was clear what was happening, everyone shot back to their rooms to gear up. I put on a worn pair of jeans, my combats and slipped a sweater over my head. It was oversized but flexible enough to move around in and warm. I slipped my nodachi strap over my shoulder along with my bo-staff. I reached back turning them invisible, attaching the throwing starts and knives to the strap. Finally I looked down at the box beside my bed. I took out the helmet, holding it in front of me. _I can't believe this is_ actually_ happening. _I strapped on fingerless gloves and a beanie, just for the cold. I held the helmet in my hands as I ran through the door to find my family. They were all gathered at the entrance of the tunnels wishing Splinter farewell. I fell into a jog alongside Mikey who had jut emerged from his room also, carrying extra weapons just like me. _This could be the last time you see him._ I quickly pushed the thought away, hugging Master Splinter and following the others to the nearest manhole. Weapons clanged together as we jogged along the tunnels, Leo was shouting out orders but I drown him out form all the noises coming from the streets above my head.

We waited under the manhole for final orders from Leo, who looked just as worried as everyone else. This was our last time being all together like this. Hopefully we'd all make it to Aprils van on time. I was hoping for the best but I knew there was a possibility of things going wrong.

_I love you all so much._

This was my final thought before entering the streets above.

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><p><strong>AN: *Sigh* Another chapter finished, we're nearing the end here people. The end! I can probably drag this out a few more chapters and then boom, another story will be out before you know it, featuring the beloved Alex. You'll have to wait an see what I've got planned though *Evil Laughing*. So sorry for any grammatical errors, I'm too drained from typing this out to go back through and check them, so correct mistakes at your own will. Once again thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story for so long. Also please this is defiantly a chapter where I would love to see a lot of feedback. Do you want to see Leo come back into the picture for any later themes or stick with Raph and Alex. Leave me anything you want to say in the messaging or reviews I'm always reading them! **

**Disclaimer, Unfortunately I don't own tmnt or any of the characters except Alex. **

**P.S. As always thanks for reading, I love you guys.(:**


	16. Chapter 16 : Part Two

Chapter Sixteen.

_Two days before._

"Alex, you're going with us on the invasion mission. Right?"

"Yeah, and you can't stop me from going if that's what you came here to tell me."

"No, no. I want you there. I need you fighting."

"I'm listening..." She looked at him with a sly grin.

"I made a plan, I don't know how well it'll work but I know I can rely on you. I need you on the rooftops, it's the safest place for you and you'll be a big help up there."

"Why's that.?"

"I need you in the air, can you get to the rooftops quickly after we're topside?"

"Yeah."

"I need you to try and buy us as much time as possible. Mikey's gonna go with you. I need you to do whatever you can to slow whatever the kraang's got out there down. Use your powers, anything."

"What's everyone else's plan?"

_*pause*_

"You don't worry about us, worry about you."

"So why is Mikey going with me."

"He's the only other one who knows the way to April's van, our escape vehicle. He'll take you there, please, I know you'll protect each other."

"I promise. Thank you Leo."

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><p><em>Present.<em>

It took me a while to climb the fire escape to the roof. The gash still residing on my stomach ached in protest to sudden physical activity. Upon exiting the sewers I set my eyes straight for the rooftops, looking nowhere but, not even the noise polluted streets. Mikey trailed ahead of me, often looking back to see if I was still in one piece. Worry and fear filled his eyes, and also mine as the rest of our family stood in the alleyway below. That day we did not exchange smiles, or waves, or even good luck yelps. We simply stared into each others souls each saying our goodbyes for now with our eyes, even possibly our goodbyes forever. My eyes met Raphael and for a moment I felt a twinge of pain, ripping through me. He wasn't gone from me, yet I longed to hold him, to kiss him, or even run my hand along his face once more. He gave me a look of approval and a silent I love you, I returned it holding back the single tear that dared to escape my eye. My last glance fell upon Leo who would give me the signal at any moment to turn and begin my assault against these alien invaders. Hazel eyes locked with icy blue eyes, and my mind filed with memories. I shook them off. We both nodded and he took my family around a corner, out of my sight.

The only piece of my life I still had within sight was Michelangelo. I turned to face him, he was looking down into the alleyway still as if this were all some big prank and his family would return at any moment.

"Mikey, we have to go."

He simply nodded and followed me along the rooftops. We stayed in the shadows, it was still nighttime. I slipped on my helmet, tuning out the police scanner that was going insane, and instead looking for the voice of a brother, or maybe even Casey. Whoever Don had given the other means of communication to. I drew back, hiding behind a water tower, waiting for something to come through the earpiece in the helmet...but there was nothing yet. I looked out over the streets, it took me a while to find the night vision on the helmet but when I switched it on I was horrified. Thousands of Kraang walked through the streets, entering apartments and shooting out windows, dragging away anyone they could get their hands on. They dumped mutagen on trees lining the sidewalk, turning anything they could into something from their home world Dimension X. In between the hoards of kraang droids were giant kraang ships on legs, they walked around the droids below, blasting anything that they deemed an obstacle. I looked down the street, coming from side streets were more of these things, there were even flying kraang ships monitoring the activity below.

I looked back at Mikey, who was watching the scene below with wide eyes, taking it all in at once. I'm surprised he didn't scream, or even take off running. These are the situations that really put you on edge. It's almost like knowing a hurricane is coming, but instead of seeking shelter you wait outside for the storm, facing it's wrath head on. That it was this felt like, a giant storm, and I was getting swallowed up by it.

"Alex, Alex are you there!?" A voice came through on my helmet.

"Yes yes! I'm here."

I heard a sigh of relief on the other end. "My God, do you see this? There are so many..."

The voice was April's, a pleasant surprise to me. Of course she was probably the one most calm right now, forcing the burden of the communication device upon herself.

"We're going to start soon, we're waiting for your signal."

"Alright."

I heard the click signifying she shut her end off to save battery.

I walked to the very edge of the rooftop, looking back at Mikey, mouthing for him to stay in the shadows until I came and got him. He nodded and disappeared under the water tower. At the edge of the roof I went invisible, starting to feel the adrenaline pump through my veins. _Okay, breathe._ I closed my eyes and let my mind work, pushing it to its limits and beyond. Suddenly it started pouring rain, I smirked. I pushed the rain until it was primarily focused over the streets, then I started having fun with it. I let it rain, but held a large amount of water above the streets, when a kraang ship appeared under it I flicked my wrist and the suspended water fell on top of it, I worked quickly in that moment. I drew my hand outwards, _Ice._ That word echoed in my head. The water that fell down around the ship turned to ice, trapping the ship inside it's contents. With a sweep of my hands the ship plummeted to the ground, demolishing the droids beneath it.

The invasion had been disrupted, only in a small portion of the city. Droids looked around confused, giving the other team a chance to move. Down the street shots were being fired, I could see the faint glow of the laser guns going off. I reacted quickly, sending shards of ice down at the droids and their machines, some icicles pierced the heavy metal, others sank into the pink flesh of the kraang. Metal bodies fell in numbers and I kept attacking, throwing whatever I could at these invaders. My hands shook and my head pounded as robots ran amuck through the darkened streets, confused, firing at anything.

I spoke through my helmet trying to get insight on where the others might be, but no response. The other side must be turned off.

Then I got another idea, I spoke to the helmet directly, asking it any questions about the kraang that popped into my head that could be potentially helpful. Questions like any weaknesses, how many of them are there, where are they coming from to enter the city. Words came up on the screen in front of me, I read until my eyes hurt, the kraang were coming in near the TCRI building. Suddenly I heard the other end of the walkie talkie hum to life.

"April!"

A gruff voice spoke back. "This is Leo, are you guys okay?"

Up until that moment I had forgotten about the youngest one, put under my protection, Mikey. Reappearing to the world, I ran over to where I told Mikey to hide, he was there knees to his chest trying to drown out the noises, and scream of helpless citizens, just waking up to the horrors outside.

"Mikey?" I whispered through the helmet. "I'm here Mike." I said reaching down to him to help him up.

"The others, are they okay?"

"Yes."

"Leo? Still there?"

"I'm here."

"The kraang, they're coming through portals near TCRI. We can't take out every last droid on the streets but if we take out the portals we can at least stop them from coming over."

"Copy, we're headed that way anyway." He paused for a moment. "Thanks Alex." and then he was gone.

I could tell by his voice everyone was still in one piece, and that made me relax a little but, but adrenaline still pumped through my veins and we needed to start moving towards TCRI.

"Mikey, we have to go to TCRI, remember the way?"

He smiled at me through burdened eyes, and took off over the rooftops. I followed closely behind fending off any stray laser beams that had made their way to rooftop level. My stomach ached and protested against all the physical stress, but I was too focused on what was going on around me to even care. Up in the distance I could see the tower looming over the city. It was illuminated by tiny pink lights, and from the lights, figures emerged. The portals.

I looked to the rooftops across the street from Mikey and I, and I saw my family, running in the same direction. Nearing the building they descended into the alleyway below and once again I had lost them from my sight. Mike and I approached the building, slipping through the darkness, into an alleyway below.

Thousand of kraang were coming through the portals, my eyes widened at the sight. Not only kraang but hideous creatures from their home planet. I lifted my hand in front of me, aiming for the little pink light above kraang coming out of a nearby portal. Within seconds a small icicle formed in my hand and flew towards the light. I held my breath until I saw the metal chip that contained the portal, fall to the ground. Luckily no other kraang seemed to notice, they were too busy marching off into the streets.

Mikey and I stayed low in the shadows of the alleyway, moving carefully. I continued to shoot out the portals only gaining attention from a few droids. It was almost easy, taking out the portals. At the same time I was looking around for any signs of Leo and everyone else. I had to know if everyone was still okay, I had to just see them.

Out into the street flew a hockey puck, droids gathered around it questioning its existence. In seconds the puck exploded into tiny shards sending smoke everywhere. Metal parts to droids flew around me, and I watched as Casey and Raphael ran out into the street to start dismembering kraang. Their favorite activity. Watching them fight made my skin itch to be out there with them. I hadn't used my nodachi in a while and it was drawing my hands to it. As I gripped the end of my sword I ran out into the streets slashing and stabbing at anything in my way. My nodachi cut through everything, almost effortlessly. As I cut down any kraang in my path I looked back to see Mikey had joined the fight. Now all we were missing was April, Don, and Leo. My mind wanted to wonder where they were but I stayed focused on what was in front of me.

Suddenly the ground shook, making me lose my balance as a laser beam skimmed my arm. I cried out in pain, only gaining me more attention from the kraang droids. I cursed myself and used my good arm for swinging. The momentary earthquake came from a kraang ship, on four legs. it almost resembled a dog, but all metal, and not cute...at all. It stomped through the street heading straight for us. I tried to escape back to the safety of the alleyway but hoards of droids had surrounded me. I could no longer see Casey, Raph, or Mikey. I caught sight of a hockey stick in the air, but that was it. The ship gradually came closer and closer until it was only minutes away from flattening me to the pavement. Adrenaline had made it's way out of my body instead replaced by something else I had never experienced before. It gave me more of a rush than I had ever felt before. I swung harder and I felt myself slowly losing control of my body. I heated up, I could feel myself burning to the core. I felt like an overworked machine that just couldn't quit, that kept going even on the brink of breaking down.

My helmet filled with white noise as someone tried to reach me on the other end, probably Leo. I heard broken sentances through my earpiece but I couldn't quite make out what he was trying to say. I adjusted the knob on the side quickly and his voice filled my ears.

"Leo!?" I yelled.

"Alex! Get to April's van. Now!"

I slashed through four more droids but they kept coming, Raph and the other two must've made it out. Soon enough the ship was looming about ten feet away from me. Finally reality hit me.

"Leo, I'm not going to make it. Go now."

"NO Alex! We're not leaving without you!"

I half sobbed, half screamed through the helmet. "LEO GO!...get out of here. Make sure everyone's safe..."

"Ale-"

Before he could finish talking I took off my helmet and let it drop to the ground. I looked up at the metal monster before me. The sun was just starting to peek over the skyscrapers now, and I could see well enough my enemies before me. My whole body shook, as if it were going to explode at any moment. I never worked so fast with my nodachi before, it was almost as if I was going through my life in fast forward. I sliced open the metal bodies of the kraang, obtaining a few scrapes here and there but I couldn't feel pain anymore.

Then my world stopped, everything turned to slow motion and I stopped, trying to figure out what was going on. My heartbeat raced and kept my eyes on the ship. My palms heated up, along with the rest of my body, even more than before. I felt my vision blur in and out and my pupils went white. No traces of hazel were left behind. Both hands went up toward the ship and a ball of fire emanated between them. It grew to the size of car tire and flew towards the kraang ship. In an instant it caught on fire and started to burn, but it still walked towards me. I pushed more and more fire at it until it was completely ablaze. I continued slicing the metal bodies around me, heading for the legs of the ship. With one clean slice, I took out the front left leg, then, the right.

I thought I had disabled the ship but I was mistaken. Out of my surprise the machine stood up on its remaining legs. One came flying at me and kicked me into the wall of a nearby building just as I had thought I had won. I groaned in pain as I used my elbow to prop myself up. The ship loomed over me, ready to finish me off.

_This is not how I'm going to die._

With my remaining strength I pushed myself up and drew my nodachi once more. In the distance I swore I could've saw a hint of red among the droids. I shook it off and cut through the hind leg on the ship, then slashed my way through another, causing it to topple to the ground. I knew I only had a limited amount of time left before my body would give out on me. I ran as fast as I could through the droids to the fire escape and climbed to the roof. I heard my name being called behind me as two figures followed me up the fire escape, but my brain couldn't process who they were. everyone was my enemy at this moment. I was in flight mode, trying to get away to safety.

I saw the edge of the roof coming up in front of me, and I prepared myself to jump. I swore that moment could've lasted forever. Everything seemed like slow motion as the kraang ship came towards me, shooting laser beams that could blast thought the side of a building. It ironically it did just that. A beam hit the building I was jumping to. I watched at the safe landing I calculated for myself fell to the ground crumbling upon impact. Luckily for me in that moment as I was suspended in air, my body shut down from exhaustion and I couldn't feel my body land in the pile of rubble beneath me. The last sight I saw were more pieces of building falling down on top of me, and a small mix of blue and red standing on the rooftop above me. By then my hearing had gone replaced by a high pitched ringing noise, and my sense of touch was not far behind. The pain from my fall and the concrete that lay on top of me slowly faded away. The last thing that came to my mind was a faint memory of a red clad turtle, and the way he smiled at me. His image faded out of my head as everything went black. Before I lost all consciousness of my body, a small hand tugged on my arm, attempting to pull me out of the rubble.

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><p>The van was cramped as it drove down the abandoned thruway to the old abandoned farmhouse. Nobody spoke, nobody asked any questions. They all looked out separate windows, trying to fathom what had just happened and how they would ever get their homes back. Leonardo, April and Donatello had managed to get master Splinter out of the sewers just in time before the supports gave out and everything was destroyed. He bandaged up his eldest sons arm in attempt to lighten the mood, but only made everyone more open to the fact that the enemy had won.<p>

Donnie had asked about Alex, but Raphael only looked out the window, and Leo held his head in his hands in an attempt not to throw up. They had both witness her crippling fall off the roof from a kraang laser. They watched large pieces of the building fall on her tiny delicate body, crushing her. Raphael was yelling, trying to jump down into the alley, but was held back by Leo. They were being surrounded by kraang and leader instincts took over. _Sacrifice is a part of being at war_ he told himself as he held his brother trying to contain him. He threw a smoke bomb at his feet, making their escape possible.

The drive was long, longer than it should've been. This time, there were no crude jokes, or small arguments. This ride would be for mourning, and then they'd continue with their lives, and devise a plan to take the city back. Everyone knew what they had to do, for some it would be harder to cope than others.

Everyone only could assume Alex was gone. Life would eventually return to the way it was before she entered their lives only months ago, but the memories...you can't erase those no matter how hard you try.

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><p><strong>Please, please! Don't hate me! If you read carefully you'll know Alex still has hope! I hope this chapter made sense to everyone, I tried to get the fighting part down but I know I'm not that great of a writer. It took me a while to write this chapter out and It's somewhat of a birthday gift to me to get it done today! *Sigh* Wherever this story goes, just be reminded this does not actually follow the plot of the 2012-2014 cartoon series. It may have some of the same aspects but it will not follow original storyline, if you couldn't already tell. For those of you who don't know the 2012 universe, I hope you liked it(: I'm trying to keep things interesting as the story comes to an end. Only a few more chapters until I can start a new story, and I already have a few ideas for it. <strong>

**Again, thank you for reading! Reviews are appreciated!(:**


	17. Chapter 17 : Death and Life

_**This chapter is a journal entry entirely in April's point of view. I know it's short but the story is winding down. Please read and review, tell me what you think, what you like/don't like, anything. Huge thank you to everyone who's stuck it out with this story for these 17 chapters, I love you all! Thank you for your support and enthusiasm as I wrote this story. Thank you to my continuous reviewers I love reading what you have to say! (: Also, message me or leave in the review box any ideas for the upcoming story I'm going to start soon. (Yes, it's the same storyline just putting a few years between this one and the next.) And if you want a totally different story, leave some ideas for that also! Again, thank you for reading, and enjoy(:**_

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><p><span>Chapter Seventeen.<span>

_I used to think loss was just something you had to deal with, something you could never escape. Loss and death and parting, they're part of living on this earth. You grow up being taught that everyone dies, when you're small they'll tell you that when people grow old their bodies can't sustain life for them anymore, and they pass away from old age. You go part of your life only thinking that people die when they're really old, you grow up thinking everyone is given the chance to live a long happy life. As you get older you realize, death claims more than just the elderly. You see a news broadcast for the first time talking about murder and disease, and these people, they're not old, they're middle aged, they had plenty of life ahead of them. So you keep growing up, more accepting of death and who it claims. Still young, still thinking you have time._

_Then one day in school a friend doesn't show up, hasn't been there for the whole day. You think to yourself, oh he must've been sick or he's skipping. When you're on the bus riding home there are news vans and reporters outside his house, it doesn't hit you what's going on until you get home, and your father has just ended a phone call with a burdened look in his eye. He tells your friends mom just called, your friend, who hasn't been at school all day, killed himself this morning. His mother found his body after returning from work and called the ambulance, but it was too late. "Slit his wrists" Your dad says trying not to look you in the eye. _

_This is the point in your life when you realize death consumes everyone, of all ages. _

_I didn't see Alex, I didn't watch her fall from the building. I didn't see the chunks of building fall down on top of her. I want to believe that Leo didn't see what he really saw. I want to know why he didn't jump down into the alleyway to help her, or even try and stop her. He's physically capable of all these things. I don't know, maybe it's juts a psychological thing, you think the persons dead just by seeing a crushed body, or watching them drop four stories to pavement. Alex pulled through before, under worse circumstances, I know there is a possibility of death, but I also believe in life, and miracles. Alex is a miracle and something tells me she made it. These psychic powers aren't for nothing. I feel her presence in the back of my mind. She's barely hanging on though. _

_Just like Raph, barely hanging on. He's done nothing but train, he'll come in for dinner and his knuckles are all busted up and bloody. He wont let Don help him, even stitch him up or bandage his knuckles. He wont talk to us, he only talks to Casey and occasionally Mikey, who is still in pretty rough condition. Mike got it the worst from the attack. Two laser burns from the kraang guns and multiple bruises from the electrical prods they carry around. The rest of the brothers have a few gashes that were stitched up and maybe a burn or two here and there from just missing the lasers. Casey fractured his wrist and had it bandaged by Donnie with some help from me. Splinter only has a scratch on his forearm. I escaped with bruises and a few cuts along my arms. _

_No one really talks about the invasion, Leo found managed to get the TV up and running and we mostly gather around watching movies or space heroes. Like old times. One thing that keeps everyone quiet is the sword that Leo laid out on the table. He put it there when we first got here, no one even knew he had it. It's longer than I am, curved and sharp. A crack threatens to break it in half, and Leo's been asking Donnie if he can fix it. Leo wont take no for an answer. _

_The sword? It's a Nodachi. No one touches it, no one talks about it. Leo found it on the rooftops and grabbed it without thinking before he grabbed Raph and dropped the smoke bomb. Raphael sits down at the table at night and just stares at his reflection in the blade. I'll tell him to get some sleep and he wont answer. In the morning we'll find him asleep at the table. _

_Me? I've picked up training again with Splinter. He mostly trains me since the rest of his family is hurt, He's actually taught me a lot in the few days we've been here. I think he's pushing me harder to compensate for his sons incapability to train. _

_After training I'll go to the barn where Donnie set up a makeshift lab. He's been working to make new weapons, and figure out what the kraang are doing. I try and help and sometimes he'll just push me away, other times I'll get a smile out of him or even a small laugh..._

_Sometimes it feels like we're back in the lair, Mikey still tries to pull pranks, only on Casey and I though. He knows not to mess with him brothers. Leo and Raph...they've been arguing a lot. If you didn't pay attention to what they were saying you could try and imagine sitting in the kitchen of the lair as they argued over who got what for breakfast, or who should be leader and so on. All they argue about now is what happened back on the rooftops. Raphael says Leo should've just let him go, let him try and rescue Alex. Leo says what he did was appropriate for the situation. I understand why Raphael is so mad. Leo's been treating the situation like Alex was disposable, but he is leader and made the decision he felt would save most lives._

_They both love her, I can see it in both their eyes. Their love for her has drawn the two apart, and back again. They argue and throw punches one day, but then another day I'll see them sitting together on the sofa silently watching TV together. _

_Splinter still makes his tea, and we all eat together and some days are easier than others. _

_There's not really much more to say other than I'm trying to keep everyone sane. The invasion really destroyed the foundation of this family and I'm the only one who has hope for Alex. Raph clung to the thought of her, but after she saw Leo bring out her sword and lay it on the table he lost it. I'm not going to tell them I can feel her presence in the back of my mind, not if one day I wake up and she's not with me anymore. Maybe when we finally return to the city, she'll be there on a rooftops looking across the street at us, smiling. Her long hair blowing in the wind and her bo-staff at her side. Maybe she'll come back and re-join our family, or maybe she's decided to be on her own from now on. Maybe she's angry with us for leaving her so helpless and wounded, or maybe she's just happy we made it out alive. _

_For Raphael's sake, I hope she comes back to us, if we ever find her. _

_You just have to carry out everyday weighing the possibilities. Life and death are two things you have to consider, but if anything, life will continue, as Master Splinter keeps reminding me. _


	18. Chapter 18 : Memories

**_Attention, attention, before I begin this chapter I just wanted to say thanks again to anyone that has been reading my story. I've read all your guys reviews over the course of this story, and I love getting the feedback. You guys really helped this story develop, I questioned it for a while, if I should just take it down or abandon it all together, but I'm proud of how it turned out for my first fanfic. This will be the final chapter for Runaway, but keep checking for new stories, I'm hoping to get one up and posted soon! P.s. this chapter will focus on more than one__ perspective. This chapter is also the longest chapter I've ever done, enjoy._**

**Chapter Eighteen.**

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><p><em>"What are you doing back here?" A grin played across his face.<em>

_"I guess I'm just drawn to the dangerous life." She smirked back. _

_"You're special, I don't think you'll ever escape it."_

_Silence filled the air for a moment, allowing her memory to come back to her piece by piece. Straining for the mental images of what happened made her head pound and she clutched her forehead letting a small sigh escape from her lips._

_"Can't remember?"_

_"No." She huffed in defeat._

_"Maybe it's better that way." He said looking at her curiously. "I'm wondering why you put yourself in these situations, you rush into battle head on, stubborn to the possibilities." _

_More silence, he was scolding her now almost. She knew why too, she had been here once before and that seemed to be one to many times for him, he expected her much farther down the road._

_He let out a deep breath. "You're like your mother, you know. Stubborn, but smart... I saw the way you fought, my God you looked just like her up on that rooftop." He walked over to her and rested a strong hand on her shoulder. "You fight with heart, but take on enemies far to strong. You need years of training to maybe even take down a small army, and that's at the highest skill level...you tried to take on a large, more advanced enemy and this is where you wound up. The way you fight with that sword though." He rested his had under her chin urging it upwards. "I'm so proud of you."_

_She wrapped her arms around him and they stood in an embrace for what felt like eternity. _

_Suddenly pain shot through her body, sending her to her knees. She groaned in pain trying to find the spot where the sudden pain had come from but couldn't quite target it. Her whole body was drowning in unbearable pain and she couldn't stop it. _

_"What's happening!" She managed to choke out. _

_"Looks like someone is deeming you worthy of life." He smiled down at her._

_Her vision focused in and out and she tried to get a grip on what was happening. _

_"I love you Alex." He said as she disappeared from her Uncle and back into the all to familiar darkness._

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><p>The girl paced around to room, looking back every five seconds to the brunette that lay on the lab bench. <em>Ugh what if she never wakes up! <em>She thought to herself. She was beginning to regret pulling her from the rubble, but had done it on instinct and pure adrenaline. It took a while to unsheathe the broken body from the pile of concrete but managed to do it with the help of several loyal foot soliders.

Although the two had never met, the girl knew the name of the body sprawled across the bench. She had been watching her for some time before the mystery kunoichi disappeared beneath the shelter of the sewers. She then caught wind of the girls name again on secret rendezvous with Leonardo. Maybe that's why she found it in herself to preform this act of humanity, because she was tied to her through someone she cared about.

She walked over to the limp body. Broken arm, broken collar bone, four broken ribs all replaced by titanium rods where they were needed. Multiple gashes ran along her arms and legs and even down her face. It was a brutal sight, bruises and dried blood everywhere, it was amazing she was still breathing. One thing she couldn't keep her eyes off of was the long scar that ran up the girls torso. It wasn't from the invasion, it must've been prior, maybe a month ago? One of her foot soldiers had been trained specifically for medical use, and was ordered to bandage the girl up. He had left her shirt turned up to allow the antiseptic to dry.

The two were not un-alike. Both kunoichis, both trained by excellent teachers of course.

She pushed a strand of hair out of the lifeless face before her, almost in a motherly way, but quickly drew her hand back when she realized what she was doing. _Leo's right, I am going soft. _She choked out a laugh and walked out of the room, lingering in the doorway as if the girl were to speak up any moment and need her assistance. She turned to look, but the limp body laid still on the bench, the only movement came from the rising and falling of her chest.

The door slid closed behind her, shutting out the image of the girl. She'd order on of her foot soldiers to check her vitals in an hour. She didn't know why but she cared for this girl, she saved her for a reason. A reason she had yet to discover.

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><p>April racked her brain for any sign or presence of Alex, she had felt her there for the longest time but lost her for about two days. She worried that her friend let go, and she didn't know why she couldn't allow herself to give up on hope along with the others. Maybe it was the fact that Alex had been close to April, that they told each other everything, and hung out whenever they got the chance. Maybe April couldn't let go of the thought of having that bond with someone, or maybe it was the fact that she would never be able to erase the thought of Alex out of her mind. That's why she clung on to the shred of hope she had left. It's easier to want to believe someone is alive rather than admit they're gone.<p>

Suddenly the familiar feeling rushed to her. Alex was alive, barely. Her presence faded in and out with every breath she took. _Thank god _April thought trying to push back tears of overwhelming relief.

"April...are you alright?" A familiar voice came, reaching out a hand to her shoulder. She hadn't realized she had been gripping the counter of the table so tight, her knuckles were white and when she released it felt as if her fingers would fall off.

She looked up at him with a smile, this time a genuine smile. "Yeah I'm fine Donnie."

He smiled back at her and the family went back to eating their dinner. "_Hold on Alex, please"_ She said in her head almost trying to push the message through her brain waves into Alex's mind. She concentrated on trying to reach Alex until the chatter of the family brought her out of her trance. She sat between Don and Leo, across from her was Casey, Raph and Mikey, all bickering about who would get the last roll. Master Splinter sat at the end of the table smirking as April realized he had silently taken the roll for himself. He winked at April who let out a small laugh at the oblivious brothers. It was fun watching her family carry on, having a good time despite the circumstances they were under. When she looked down to the end of the table all joy washed away from her face. As if noticing the mood change Leo followed her gaze, smile disappearing from his face as he realized what April was so engaged in. Mikey kept his face in his plate, eating away trying not to look as Casey stared at April in confusion. When Raphael caught wind of what everyone was now engrossed in he followed the eyes to the end of the table. There at the end of the table was an empty chair.

April realized she had set a place for Alex and put her hands to her head trying to push the thought away, she cursed herself for even looking to the end of the table, knowing very well there would be an empty seat reserved for the eighth member of their family. The fun dinner had turned south as the room fell silent. The only noise came from chair legs scratching against the wood floor, and April watched out of the corner of her eye as Raphael climbed the stairs.

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><p>Blackness surrounded her, she couldn't see anything and was beginning to grow agitated as she could now hear noises around her. <em>Running through a black void that's what this feels like. <em>She huffed. Suddenly pain washed over her body, bones ached and she could feel the open wounds that caressed her pale body. She struggled to breathe, trying to scream as no sound came out. It felt like her body was being crushed and slashed at with a thousand sharp knives at once, then a voice. _"Hold on Alex, please."_ It rang through her head, echoing a few times then as fast as it came, it was gone.

She struggled to recognize the tender voice, a friend? How could she not remember anything...it was like everything she knew was slowly slipping away from her. She tried to recall what had happened to her and all she could remember were the colors blue and red. She wanted to hit her head off a wall, maybe that would bring some memory to the surface, any memory of the last few months perhaps? She tried to let a scream escape her in frustration but when she opened her mouth no sound came out.

Then pain again, it was like a cycle.

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><p>"Raphael?" Leonardo knocked on his brothers door then paused and took a step back as if contemplating whether or not his brother would come smashing through the door at any given moment to tackle him over the staircase.<p>

"Go away, Leo, really I'm fine."

"Fine? if you were fine why'd you leave dinner so abruptly?" He was testing his boundaries now, He knew why Raph left the table. The chair at the end of the table was meant for Alex, April had even set a place for her. The emotions coursing through Raphael's veins also plagued Leo's.

"Leave me alone." His brother shot at him through the door.

"No, we need to talk." Leo said banging on the door once more. "Let me in."

The only response was silence, and he guessed his brother was fuming now, trying not to lose his temper.

Leo dropped his voice to a soft murmur. "Raphael, I'm your brother but also the only other one in this house that knows how you feel." he knew this would either piss Raph off to the max, or let his guard down. Raph knew how much Leo liked Alex, even loved her, but he couldn't understand how you could sit by and watch someone you love die right in front of you and do nothing to stop it.

"I loved her too Raph."

Then an angry, but thoughtful voice rang through the doorway, Raph was standing on the other side, the only thing preventing the conversation from becoming physical was a thin wooden door. "What do you know about love Leonardo!"

"I fell in love with her first, I watched her suffer and helped her! You stood by and only added to her pain. Then one day you change? You start caring out of nowhere?!" He paused, not realizing how much he had raised his voice. "On the brink of telling her how I felt, you swooped in and turned on the charm, she fell for you, and I tried, I tried so hard to be with her." Then his voice dropped. "I fell in love with her before you did. It was me who was there for her that first month, not you, it was never you!"

He could hear his brother let out a small sigh from behind the door. A small audience had gathered at the bottom of the stairs, hushed voices tried to stay unheard, but at this point Leo didn't care. Everyone knew how he felt anyway, and besides it felt good to let it all out. This pain had been building up for a while now.

"You watched her die! You didn't even try to help her!" An angry voice rang through the wooden door.

Leo was defeated, everything he just confessed could not be considered valid at this statement. Yes, Leo knew she was dying, he knew he had the capability to help, but what would save more lives? He had to get his family out. Guilt had been eating away at him as the image of building rubble falling on top of the tiny body played through his mind since they had left the invasion. "I loved her." He managed to choke out. As he gave up and walked away from the door to his own room to wallow in guilt, he heard Raphael speak up once more, only in a choked whisper this time. "Don't talk to me about love."

In his room he could hear his pained brother throwing things in a fit on rage. He looked across the room to the long sword that dangled from the wall. He had since removed it from the table downstairs and Splinter had entrusted him with it, since he was the only sword wielder. Don had fixed the crack, but Leo still would not train with it, he just looked at it, wondering if the life it belonged to would be able to forgive him if they were to ever meet on the other side.

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><p>Suddenly her eyes were filled with bright lights. After what felt like eternity wandering around in nothingness, a dark void that deemed never ending, for the first time she felt a new pain, being alive. She opened her eyes, and let them adjust to the blinding lights above her. She had woken up like this far too many times, always winding up in Dons lab after a brutal fight. Memories of a lab filled with science posters and mechanical objects washed over her mind, then a flash of purple and it was gone leaving her with a pounding headache.<p>

She tried saying something, calling out a name, but couldn't think of a name to call out, in fact her mind was completely blank. She knew her name, and a few others that seemed insignificant. Casey? She knew he was a young boy, about her age. Black hair, black clothes, the relationship towards this person was the only memory missing.

Alex wondered where she was, even if it seemed oddly familiar, it felt foreign and strange to her, as if everything she ever knew was a dream she had just woken up from. She started to sit up, using her elbow to prop herself up. It hurt like hell but she pushed through it, curious to get a good look at her surroundings. She looked down at herself, she was covered in blood, her blood, and there were stitched up wounds everywhere. It was a mess, she looked like a ragdoll that had been tossed around, gaining scuff marks and loose stitching from years of play.

Then through the doors emerged a young man, dressed in all black, his face was young but showed years of harsh training and he looked drained as if he had seen the face of war too many times to count. "Hello." Alex managed to choke out.

As if just realized she was also in the room the man rushed over to her. "We weren't expecting you to be awake for another few days, even another week." He said checking the tubes connected to her arms, and how well her stitches had healed.

"Where am I?" She said looking around trying to ignore the growing pain in her side from half sitting up.

"That doesn't matter right now, what matter is you're okay." He said trying his best to give her a reassuring smile. He gestured to her arm and she realized he was asking permission to check her over. She simply nodded and laid back down on the table, her body tensing all over.

"You got scratched up pretty good." He said slightly chuckling as he lifted her forearm in her hand, she winced as he applied pressure to certain points. What he was pressing on didn't feel like bone, if felt cold and foreign, even inside her body. She felt this sensation all over, accompanied by pain, constant pain.

"What happened to me." She asked looking over at him. A frown formed on his face but he never looked at her.

"You don't remember much, do you." He said in a grim voice.

"No." She paused. "Can you tell me what happened?"

He didn't answer, he had now moved down to her leg, again applying pressure sending waves of pain through her spinal cord.

"At least tell me how I got here."

He sighed, letting his hands drop to his sides and found a stool next to the bench to sit on. "You fell off of an unstable building and loose pieces of the building then fell on top of you, at least that's what the report said. Our leader and men pulled you out and they brought you here."

"How did I fall off the building." She couldn't remember why she had been on the rooftops in the first place. Running from something? Faint memories of laser blasts flying past her, burning her skin in the process. She winced at the memory and pushed it away.

"We don't know. You managed to break a lot of bones in the process though, actually you completely obliterated them so we replaced them with grad A titanium." He tapped her arm smiling with pride. "Pretty cool right?" He said smiling at her. She just looked at him. Her arms and legs and god knows what else were now home to pieces of metal and he thought that was the "coolest" thing ever.

She watched as he walked over to a water jug and poured some into a cup. He brought it back over to her. "Here" He said pushing the glass into her hands. "You need something in your stomach."

"You replace that with titanium too?" She joked.

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><p>She had been sipping on a steaming cup of tea in the kitchen area when a fellow foot member had alerted her. She rushed down the hall to the room she had left only a few hours before, the heels of her boots clicking loudly on the tile floors.<p>

The door to the lab slid open and she stepped inside looking to the bench where the body had been carefully placed only a week before. Instead of seeing an almost lifeless body, she saw the body of a young girl her age, propped up on one elbow accepting a glass of water from a foot solider who had long since been out of uniform. She frowned at this, foot were almost never supposed to be out of uniform, but this could be easily seen as a loophole.

She stood in the back for a while, observing and waiting to make her move. The girl was in pain obviously and still had tubes hooked up to her arms, blood was still crusted in places on her face and body. She didn't know how anyone could be so broken, but remain so beautiful.

"I thought I only asked you to check her vitals?" A smirk played across her face as the solider turned around quickly, fumbling over the stool he was sitting on.

"Sorry ma'am." he managed to get out before darting out of the room, leaving the two alone.

She walked over to the girl on the bench, picking up the tipped stool and taking a seat. "Hello." She said looking at the broken body before her.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

Her face widened in a smirk. "Memory getting the best of you?" She sighed. "Well for starters you're in the middle of a war between aliens and the U.S. navy. This..." She gestured around the two of them to the lab before them. "This is an abandoned hospital, it's home to my soldiers seeing as our original base was destroyed." She smirked down at the girl on the bench who's face was twisted in confusion.

"Let's start out with square one. I'm gonna list off some names, tell me which ones you remember, we'll go one by one."

The girl nodded her head in approval.

"April O'Neil." The name was familiar, suddenly a soft round face topped with flaming red hair appeared in her head. She nodded to the girl sitting across from her.

"Casey Jones." _yes, the boy I remembered earlier._

"Michelangelo." Her face scrunched up in confusion once more as she tried to picture the faceless name. A flash of orange and a skateboard flashed across her eyes. She nodded anyway, knowing somewhere she knew this person.

"Donatello." Orange was replaced by purple, the lab had belonged to this person, he liked science and constantly worked on inventions and projects. She knew him.

"Okay" The girl said. "This is progress." She placed a hand on Alex's arm and continued with names.

"Leonardo." The girls face was blank at this name, _She knows him_ Alex thought. The name was associated with blue, and katana blades. Twin blades? He was a friend, he felt familiar like a brother yet more than that at the same time and she smiled at the faint memory of a hug. Had she know this person well?

"Last one...Raphael." The name hit her like a train. She knew the name, she knew he was red, all shades of red, from the light pink of a blush to the dark maroon of a rose petal. She felt her cheeks heat up and her heart pounded a little faster than before. Longing, wanting, all these feeling associated with this name but yet she could not produce a face. This person was arrogant. She knew this but she also knew she had loved this person, the overwhelming feeling of him washed over her "Raphael" She whispered to herself. Bright green eyes plagued the back of her eyelids.

The strange girl sitting on the stool smiled at her, reassuring yet, intimidating. "Get some rest, we'll pick back up tomorrow." Patting her arm. _She knows something I don't. _Alex thought to herself, gaining suspicion of the short haired girl.

"Can you tell me how I know these people?" Alex said reaching out to grab the girls arm.

"Tomorrow." She said pulling away.

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><p>What are you supposed to do when you're madly in love with someone and they get ripped away from you? Right in front of your eyes? Do you break down, maybe cry for days...or stop eating? Raphael took out his loss in training. Now that he was healed he could get back on his feet with the familiar feel of his sia in his hands. He trained far longer and harder than any of his brothers, even Casey found himself exhausted after sparring with Raph. He fought until his body gave out on him and forced him to stop.<p>

Maybe it was the way she looked at him that made him throw a punch a little harder than he should've on his brothers, maybe it was his lips brushing up against hers for the first time that prompted him to train until his muscles couldn't take it anymore. Maybe it was the fact that she had been the first one to come into his life and open him up, that left him feeling so alone.

For a while he couldn't admit it was actually Alex lying limp under the rubble and concrete, he tricked his brain into thinking it was just an innocent bystander. When he got to the van and she wasn't there his logic spoke up and told him she's gone but part of him wanted to believe she was at the farmhouse waiting for them, to welcome him with open arms. When she wasn't there he lost himself in the reflection of her recovered sword, he wouldn't come the first time when called to dinner, he hardly talked, only occasionally joked around with Mikey to make him feel better, or argued with anyone willing to test him. Other than that he really covered up all traces of emotion as best as he could, he wanted his family to know he was fine when he really was falling apart.

Leonardo knew how Raph felt, he had been feeling the same way for days on end, just staring into the reflection of the nodachi that rested on the wall of his bedroom. Leo was good at hiding emotions, all the brothers were, but Leo was cracking. He had just admitted everything in front of Raphael and his family, the way he felt about Alex had been covered up through days of training and using the term "Friends" a lot.

The truth was Leonardo had fell in love with the broken girl, far before she uttered a word to him. The first day he had met her he knew he wanted her. She was cautious of him at first, eyeing his katanas, and keeping her distance. When she became more friendly he used his time wisely, often planning his day around when she'd be free to watch a movie, or just talk. He'd "coincidentally" run into her in the kitchen or sit next to her on the couch. He helped her through problems and sat patiently as she cried into his plastron, he gave her his time and company for open ears and free hugs. It was in these small moment he fell deeply in love with her.

When she fell for Raph he knew he had to back of immediately, he'd lose her friendship if he spoke up for himself and spilled his heart out to her. So he let Raphael win, he watched as they fell in love, kissed and hugged in front of him. He saw the way her eyes lit up when he'd walk through the door after him. He watched them cuddle up closely together on the couch during movie nights, and the next morning he'd wake up to the sight of her in his arms. It killed him inside but he hid it, often throwing her little smiles, or words of encouragement in training. He was again what he had always been to her, a leader and a friend.

Things could never be the same without her, but his brothers would slowly lose hope in him after watching the progression of his breakdown. Right now he needed to step up, while no one else was willing. He would tie the blue mask around his face once more and call himself leader and hopefully that responsibility alone would keep his mind busy from wandering too far into the memories of the brown haired girl he once knew.

* * *

><p>"Rise and shine sleeping beauty" the girl said as she stood over the bruised body. Alex opened her eyes slowly adjusting to the figure looming just above her.<p>

"Ughh, you couldn't let me sleep in?" She mumbled.

"It's already almost noon Alex, are you joking?"

She was taken back at the name that came out of the girls mouth. "H-how do you know my name..."

The girl smirked and let out a long sigh, seating herself in the stool next to the bench. "I know a lot more about you than just your name."

Hours passed as the mystery girl told her back story and how she had come to know Alex, and listened as Alex told hers. She could only recall the months leading up to the departure for the city, but was starting to regain more memory the more she tried to access it. She had not lost her memory, it was only hidden away in her mind, to be found piece by piece. She remembered the kraang first surprisingly, so the story on an occurring invasion was deemed true, and could be supported but the occasional loud crash of a bomb or falling building.

After memory of the kraang came the full memory of a boy with hockey sticks strapped to his back, skating around a hockey rink with a girl she had yet to remember. She knew the girl's name was April but couldn't remember any significant details about her, only that she was Casey's friend and later on had become a good friend to Alex herself. Casey's memory came with the first day she met him, and hanging out at the downtown hockey rink that she long assumed had been demolished in the face of war. He was tall, dark hair, dark personality. Cocky, arrogant, pushy at times, but could be sweet and caring. She felt like she had known this boy for eons but truthfully had only known him for maybe a few months. She longed for his company all of a sudden but would have to do with the short haired girl sitting next to her.

Occasionally the faint memory of another person would come to her then drift away as soon as it came, teasing her, leaving her wanting to rip her hair out. Orange, purple, blue and red seemed to be significant but she couldn't figure out why, they were related to the people she once knew but when she tried to put a name or face together her head would pound leaving her to wallow in pain.

Once again she looked to the girl seated next to her, she had devoted much of her time to spend with Alex, and she always seemed willing to share any information Alex asked about, yet she kept certain details out of Alex's earshot. She was hiding something, something important or it was just the girls personality that made it seem like she couldn't be trusted. She was almost a friend, if not already a friend through the amount of time they spent together. Although the girl had told Alex a lot about herself, she left a few important key details out, one being her name.

"Well, Alex, I'm leaning on you healing up soon so we can train together, kunoichi to kunoichi." the girl smirked down at her toying with the ends of her short hair.

"Definitely!" Alex choked back.

As the girl turned to leave she stopped before exiting the doorway. "You know you never asked me for my name." She said a grin playing across her face.

"You're right. What is, your name?" Alex said narrowing in her eyes of the mystery girl.

She paused for a bit, making Alex writhe in her skin for an answer. One last grin widened across the girls face as she spoke to the broken body across form her.

"Karai." She said, as she turned and walked into the hallways letting the door slide shut behind her. Once again Alex was alone, there was a slight memory of the girls name that fogged her mind, she had heard it somewhere before but gave up after the threat of a migraine approached. _Karai, I know that name. _She thought to herself as her body signaled it needed more rest that what she was giving it. As her body drifted into sleep mode she saw the outline of four figures standing in the far corner of the room. _Family _Her mind shouted, but she was far too tired to think up names and faces at that moment and ignored her mind, and eventually fell back into the familiar darkness of sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>That's the end, but wait! there's more! I'll be working on a sequel to runaway, I don't know the title, or point of view to write it in, so any suggestions are welcomed. Again, just thank you to anyone who has read this story the whole way through, my constant reviewers, and just the overall support in general has been amazing, I love you guys! I really hoped you liked this chapter, it was a bit of a twist from all my other chapters just being in one perspective, I loved writing Leo's feelings, that was probably my favorite part to write. I'm even starting to wish I had paired those two, but Raphael and Alex seem fit for each other. ;) Feedback is welcomed with open arms, I read everyone's reviews so keep them coming!(: I hope to see many of you again during the sequel, and thanks for such amazing feedback these eighteen chapters. Love you all so much, and prepare yourselves for the next story. (;<strong>_


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